It is an iMac and the only document I can find regarding the video out is the one I linked to in my last post. How can I figure out if it can? Maybe I'll have to call Apple and ask.

Thanks for the info!

the IMac would have an adapter like the VGA adapter

if it does not, your best bet is the VGA adapter from Apple and a transcoder like this

http://www.digitalconnection.com/products/video/kdxb.asp
thats the cheapest one and look at the PC specs at bottom

For PC:
• Resolutions up to 1280X1024/70

they sell quite a few others as well and are a safe store to purchase from

here's the complete list
https://www.digitalconnection.com/Store/Product_List.asp

The iMac's video out port is kinda funky looking. I think they make it that way so you have to buy the adapter that has a VGA end or the S-video/composite end.

Here is a pic of the port:

iMac ports (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86813)


So you think I'd need the adapter that goes from the iMac port to the VGA end and ALSO need the piece you gave me a link for?

J

So you think I'd need the adapter that goes from the iMac port to the VGA end and ALSO need the piece you gave me a link for?

yes because it converts VGA to component (not composite)

as I said in my earlier post that VGA cannot be converted to component without a transcoder

I understood the IMAC has a strange video output port

you CAN do composite or Svideo, but it will be limited to 480i resolution and will look like CRAP

here's a good article on using transcoders

http://www.digitalconnection.com/FAQ/HDTV_4.asp

Thanks SO much for all of your help! So, if I use the Apple VGA adapter along with the transcoder, do you think the PQ would be pretty decent?

J

for text at 480p only, yes
for video at either 1080i or 480p, yes

did you read the link for instructions on how to output 480p and 1080i?

What about VGA to DVI, then DVI to HDMI?

you cannot convert analogue VGA to digital DVI without really expensive equipment
like broadcast quality equipment
$$$$$$

you would just buy a new more friendly computer which has DVI output first

Then what about DVI to VGA cable from Apple? Can't it work both ways?

Then what about DVI to VGA cable from Apple? Can't it work both ways?

NO, and there is no conversion there, DVI on video cards outputs DVI I which is analogue and digital
HDMI is backwards compatible with only DVI D which is digital only

and VGA is only analogue

I too bought mine from Crutchfield last year. To the door delivery...albeit before this unit started getting 'discounted' like it is at present. I'll admit I havent read *every* post on the 960 here, so I will give you my 'problem.
I have a bowing on the upper RH and upper LH parts of the screen. Since I am pulling this from memory, I can't recall in which direct the 'bow' goes. If I watch a REAL 16 x 9 HD feed from CBS the picture fills(obviuosly) and that problem is less prevalent if evident at all. However, if I play a DVD, it's more noticable, or if something is playing at 1:85 : 1. (FOX)

Is this a problem correctable via the service menu, or do I require a service call ? Unfortunately, I am light years away from SONY service that they'd 'drop over the house' . The same goes for any ISF labs. :-(

Feel free to 'e' me at my listed addy, or to my gmail acct. Use the same moniker I use to post with.

Thankx loads.

In the event that a URL will give me the answer please ship it to me. Sry if this has been discussed as infinitum before.

Random post of the day:

Does anyone know if it's possible to buy an empty 960 box from anywhere? The reason I ask is that when my second one was delivered (the first one had a dead spot on the screen with no color), it happened to be raining that day. The delivery guys seemed to have put the bottom of the box on the ground for a few seconds.

When the box dried, it started warping in corners, and doesn't go on properly. I was thinking of trashing it, but hesitated, knowing this was the best way to transport the TV. I am hesitant to use it for transport though since the box is damaged.

So, is it possible to buy an empty, non-damaged box somewhere?

Many thanks to Dsperber and others discussing optimal viewing distance. I had to rearange the living room this weekend, and went from 10' down to just under 7'. It really is more enjoyable.

Also for those considering this set but concerned about weight/moving: I recommend the Sony stand. It must have some slider material on the bottom. I was able to move the set off an area rug> hardwood floors, and back, by myself. Don't get me wrong... it's a hefty job... but it certainly can be done by one person alone.

Hi guys...

Quick question.

I bought the XBR960 a week ago, but I noticed a chip in th side casing.

So I returned it to Best Buy for a new one.

Anyhoo, my old one was manufactured in July '05. My new one was manufactured in Febuary '05.

Were there any issues I need to know about on the older ones? Or are they both of same quality.

I thought I read once that older ones had some screen problems.

Please tell me I'm safe..... :(

I think most of the issues were from 04 models, had tuner issues that I recall.
My 960 is from June 05, no problems.

I just got my 960 last night.... we are getting to "know" each other.....If I want to get it professionally calibrated as many of you suggest...what is the first place to begin the search for a good technician? I live in the Seattle area. And about how much should I expect to pay?

Thanks.

My 960 was a year old on Dec. 1. I've never had it calibrated, and I'm always changing the hue to suit me. Usually on SD stuff it is too green, but HD stuff it is usually right on when I set hue to 0 and it seems lately I've had to set hue even more red to 6 or 7. Would a calibration help this? This is on the same input, Video 7 HDMI from my Directv HD DVR. I understand that each input has its own settings. Does anyone know of a professional calibrator in south central PA or northern MD. I live between Baltimore and York, PA

I just got my 960 last night.... we are getting to "know" each other.....If I want to get it professionally calibrated as many of you suggest...what is the first place to begin the search for a good technician? I live in the Seattle area. And about how much should I expect to pay?

Thanks.


http://www.imagingscience.com/isf-trained.cfm

Minimum about $225, give or take.

Also check our display calibration forum here at AVS: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=139

Hi there! I am new to this board and see that everyone here is very knowledgeable! I hope this is the correct thread...

I am currently thinking of buying a HDTV and would really appreciate your honest opinion/advice. I live in a NYC apartment and have a bedroom and living room. Both are rather small. In my bedroom right now I have a Sony 27" 4:3 CRT and in the living room I have a Sony 32" 4:3 CRT. Love them both.

I want to get a HDTV since I will be buying an Xbox 360 in January of 2006. I am really looking to spend about $1,900 max. I have done some research and have heard that the absolute best picture you can get is actually from a CRT HDTV (better than any $10K plasma for example). So I've been looking at Sony's latest and greatest (KV-34XBR960N). Apparently that is supossed to be the reference standard? Looks like a really nice TV! From what I can tell the only drawback of that TV is its limitation to 34" and it weighing 200 lbs. Someone once said you need to worry of the resolution and lagging? Will this TV suffer from that or anything else?

Is there something else I should be looking at? I don't need a huge projection TV or anything... Next year I'll probably be moving into a one bedroom apartment and doing my MBA so this isn't going in my master entertainment room in my mansion or anything. :)

What about these new Sony LCoS TVs? I *think* I'm still best off with their 34" XBR CRT, no? If so, is that the best price I can get ($1,900)? Also, what is the new version with the N in the name mean?

Thanks!!!! Really appreciate you taking the time.

Sincerely,
Keith

^Can anyone comment, please? Thanks.

-Keith

Keithos,

The only difference with N is something to do with the glare coating on the screen. Nothing else is different.

The Sony Lcos sets are amazing. If you have the beans, and want the size, I think you'd be very happy with them. Home Theater Magazine rated those new SXRD's "the best RPTV's we've ever seen" with near-CRT black levels.

I've seen them for myself. If I were going to buy an RPTV, I'd probably buy one of those myself.

The XBR960 (n or otherwise) are considered professional, reference grade monitors, especially after an ISF calibration. It comes down to your budget, your viewing distance, and size considerations. ($1900 max rules out the LCOS sets.)

I know you'd be very happy with the XBR960, n or otherwise. :)

Q of BanditZ,

Thanks for the reply! How is this system with an Xbox 360 (the XBR 960)? Any issues of 1080i vs. 720 p and all of that jazz?

Keith, the 360 looks awesome on the XBR960.

Just set the system to 1080i in the dashboard.

1080i on this CRT looks better than 720p on an LCD. Trust me. You'll love it.

Keith, the 360 looks awesome on the XBR960.

Just set the system to 1080i in the dashboard.

1080i on this CRT looks better than 720p on an LCD. Trust me. You'll love it.

Thanks Super Freak. I trust you. :)

My local Best Buy has a customer return 34XBR960 for $1200. It's got some scratches on the housing, but otherwise it's in good shape. I am bring my Avia DVD tomorrow to test it out, any suggestions on what to look for?

Assuming it is working right, is $1200 for a used 34XBR960 a good deal? The PSP (extended warranty) is $200, and I plan on buying that unless anyone has a better suggestion.

Thanks for the great thread BTW!

So I have had my 960 for 48 hours....it has grown on me. At first I was a little disappointed in the SD signal as well as the way had to do so much strectching oif the image to fill the screen to a decent size. I do have an OTA antenna and I must admit that watching a program yesterday in true HD gave me chills. It is fun to be able to see "showroom" quality in my little living room.

Sometimes one of the drawbacks to reading forums like this is that it is much more intense and "serious" than I would normally be about a TV. I have learned so much but it has also made me a little paranoid that I should be looking for something wrong in my set. I called a tech to come and calibrate the TV and he told me it was over kill.....since I was watching it in my living room and I had no idea what was "wrong" with it in the first place why go to that expense. He has a point.

I have adjusted the numbers according to some of the suggestions on this site. The screen is beautiful although a tad bit dark for my taste.....but I still don't know if I am geting that ultimate experience since I have no benchmark to judge it on.....

So I have had my 960 for 48 hours....it has grown on me. At first I was a little disappointed in the SD signal as well as the way had to do so much strectching oif the image to fill the screen to a decent size. I do have an OTA antenna and I must admit that watching a program yesterday in true HD gave me chills. It is fun to be able to see "showroom" quality in my little living room.

Sometimes one of the drawbacks to reading forums like this is that it is much more intense and "serious" than I would normally be about a TV. I have learned so much but it has also made me a little paranoid that I should be looking for something wrong in my set. I called a tech to come and calibrate the TV and he told me it was over kill.....since I was watching it in my living room and I had no idea what was "wrong" with it in the first place why go to that expense. He has a point.

I have adjusted the numbers according to some of the suggestions on this site. The screen is beautiful although a tad bit dark for my taste.....but I still don't know if I am geting that ultimate experience since I have no benchmark to judge it on.....

HI David,

Congratulations on your new 960. If you think it has grown on you now just wait a few more weeks! I also wondered if my set should be callibrated as suggested by others on this thread and appreciate you passing on what you were told by the technician. Don't worry, I get a little "paranoid" myself with these things.

As many will tell you, precise settings come down to individual preference. My brightness is in the mid-20 range for each of my inputs (HD, DVD, VHS and standard cable). I've noticed this lower setting enhances detail. I used the THX optomizer found on many DVD's (it has tests for contrast, brightness, sharpness and color) for my DVD input and as a guide for what picture quality should be like on HD and the others.

Write your settings down on paper and experiment raising or lowering each. You might want to leave extra room to record your second and third choices in order to go back and forth for comparision.

Hope these non-technical suggestions help. Let us know.

After weeks of agonizing research, and changing my mind at least a hundred times, I finally decided to pull the plug and go with the XBR960. I was very interested in the 50" SXRD, but also needed to spend a few $$ in other areas of the house...you know, the whole WAF issue!

I'd really like the size of the 50", but I'm pretty confident that the quality of image produced from the 960 will keep me happy for years to come. Once technology catches up a bit, and 1080p inputs and program material become commonplace, I can then upgrade and the 960 will make a great bedroom set.

My local high-end audio/video dealer here in Columbus has one 960 left, and they are giving me a great deal on it. They said that it arguably produces the very best PQ of anything they offer in the whole store, however the demand for the "coolness factor" of the plasmas have made them a tough sell...even with a better picture.

I won't be able to get it for at least a few days, then I have to wait for the cable company to install HD, but once that all happens...the party officially starts!

Thanks for all of the great information everybody provided on here.

You are correct about the SONY stand that is made specifically for thi s unit. I was lucky enough to get one made for the 960's precursor, the 910 model. The color is slightly different, but for the less than $100 I paid DELIVERED in 2 3 days, I have no complaints. I actually purchased the second shelf for some $35 from the original mfr. Well worth it and it increases the astetic value of the setup as well.

I'm finally getting a second opinion from a different Sony Authorized Service Center for my damn TV.

It has bowing on the left hand side of the screen. That in itself doesn't really bother me. No CRT has perfect geometry. What really irritates me is the waviness that occurs when an image on the screen pans from left to right or right to left. It's as if the image is being projected onto a hilly surface. It's absolutely unacceptable. I've never seen any TV do that in my lifetime.

If this guy doesn't know what the problem is I'm going to demand that Sony replace the television. Hopefully another unit might be better.

What is the geometry of the bowing if I might ask? Its only on *one* side ? Mine exists on the upper left and upper right. Mirror images of each other. Dunno if this is due to a mfg defective setting or possibly a shielding defect with the internal speakers ? I am curious what SONY has to say.
If I have a full 16:9 image on the screen, there is NO noticable bowing at all. It exist most notibly on the furthestmost top edges when I have a 1:85 : 1 image on the screen!

crosstuningforks - congrats,
not sure of your local cable TV setup, but in my town, basic cable carries all the network HD signals w/o a cable box. I just plugged into my 960 and hit the tuner search. ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBSHD are all receivable here. If you have cable tv and your provider doesn't block em, basic HD may already be accessible.

as far as size, not sure what size you're viewing now, I had a 32" 4:3 set before, so I went down to a 28" 4:3 view on this 34" 16:9, but HD and DVD make it worth it. I've already moved my sofa closer to the TV two times, I'm now about 6' away!

Okay.... I just noticed that when the "display" is on the the "bowing" that others have been talking about is visable....a slight curving downwards in the upper left/right of the screen and a slight curving upwards on the lower left/right of the screen.

Is this normal or at least acceptable? Or is Is it time to call Sony and ask for a fix?

Thanks for your input.....

i'd say all the Sony 960s seem to exhibit some bowing on the horizontal plane.

i'd say all the Sony 960s seem to exhibit some bowing on the horizontal plane.

I called Sony and they are going to send out a tech.... is this overkill or should I let them come out....I hate for them to show up and say " This is common....."

Hey all...i just bought a 960 a week ago. Got a deal on a used one originally purchased in Sept. 05, used for one month..sold to me for $1200. Well the moving and transport of 100 miles seems to have caused a couple things..that may or may not have been there before. One of which is the bowing everyone is talking about. Its most noticable on the Channel number in the corner and in sports tickers. In fact it seems that the whole picture slants downward from left to right. Is this something that can easily be adjusted by a tech?

The TV had not previously been registered...and i have a copy of the receipt so i should be good on the warranty. Sony even sold me a 4yr extended warranty thru SonyStyle. The Tv was originally purchased from Circuit City.

So far all i have to really compare is apparently poor quality basic analog cable (no box) and DVDs. The DVDs look good but the SD content is not very good PQ. The lines are not smooth and there is some shadowing on the TV and between dark and light colors especially. Ive adjusted all the settings to what seems to be the suggested average settings on this board. Im still somewhat disappointed as to what id seen on this monitor in the stores. Should i get a tech out to look at the set?

i'd say all the Sony 960s seem to exhibit some bowing on the horizontal plane.

I have always noticed a slight bowing watching 4x3 signals in the wide-stretch mode. Bowing also appears when the 960 displays its own information (Video 1, Video 2, etc.) but to me that is not important.

There is no bowing on HD broadcasts, DVDs, normal 4x3 viewing or black bars on widescreen material different than 16x9. It's only apparent on wide stretch (not on plain stretch). Is some sort of bowing to be expected when using wide stretch?

It's not the bowing that bothers me. It's the waviness that occurs when the image pans from side to side. It's like the image is being projected onto a waving flag. I didn't pay almost 2 grand for that.

So far all i have to really compare is apparently poor quality basic analog cable (no box) and DVDs. The DVDs look good but the SD content is not very good PQ. Should i get a tech out to look at the set?Absolutely.

Bowing, convergence, and other normal service menu adjustments for "out-of-the-box" problems are things the Sony factory tech can deal with. And it's free to you, so take advantage of it. Convergence adjustments may require magnets placed on the back of the picture tube and only a tech should do that.

If the tech's visit is unsatisfactory (e.g. he departs early, before you're satisfied, because he says "it's within factory spec" or "it's as close as I can get") and you can still see obvious defects and imperfections, call Sony a second time and prevail on them (you may need to be persistent) to either send you a second factory tech or authorize a free visit from a local authorized service tech from a list of 2 or 3 such providers near you. They will do that, and the local guy will hopefully be more qualified or motivated to deal with your remaining problems.

While the user menu controls are excellent (I'm sure you've already set the main ones to "PRO" and "MONITOR" to eliminate all pre-set factory biases and allow you to set/store/memorize individual values for each individual input source, as well as setting SHARPNESS=MIN for at least INPUT5-7 and reducing your sharpness for your SD INPUT1-3), it's not productive to get started with your long journey through the service menu and tweaks (until you're finally satisfied) until the set is in a basically acceptable starting condition. Sounds like you need [at least] this free factory service visit to get your set to look how it really should have out of the factory.

Note that this set is glorious in its HDTV rendition, but non-HD off-air local networks or non-digital analog cable sources cannot be improved much by any set if they are poor quality to begin with. Even DVD's are only 480p, which still will not demonstrate what you will eventually be able to see on this screen from true HD sources.

So please reserve judgement until you've gotten your set freely adjusted by a tech and also had a chance to witness off-air or cable/satellite-provided DTV/HDTV (and I mean true 16:9 HD content, not just anything transmitted on the digital channel) on this now properly adjusted XBR960.

Just a little patience required, but very great rewards promised. And hopefully you plan to sit somewhere between 5'-7' from the screen, better closer than further back being the agreed-upon sweet spot.

Convergence adjustments may require magnets placed on the back of the picture tube and only a tech should do that.Can you describe this procedure in more detail? Have you or anyone you know had it done? Was there an improvement?

Also, SD content isn't going to look good on a HDTV set. Keep your old TV for that.

If it really bothers you, go ahead, but I have heard instances where some techs made it worse by screwing up convergence.

Oh man, the CC near me has an open box XBR960 for $1429! It is so tempting, but who knows how long this thing has been cranking out a picture! Tempting...but I think I must r-e-s-i-s-t!

:)

Can you describe this procedure in more detail? Have you or anyone you know had it done? Was there an improvement?

My ISF calibrator did it for me and yes, it was absolutely worth it.

The ISF man willl tell you upfront if they're confident in doing the procedure. If they say "yes", go ahead and have them do it. If he says "no", take him at his word.

If you're under warranty, you might luck out and get a Sony tech who will do this for you for free.



Also, SD content isn't going to look good on a HDTV set. Keep your old TV for that.

Incorrect. My SD never looked as good as it does on the XBR960.

XBR960 PIP only allows for Digital in the left pane. Comcast is "switching" analog chanels to digital with remaping deployed so it is seamless. Are we 960 owners going to lose PIP? (my personal favorite way to beat the commercials.)

So, If I can get a factory sealed 34xbr960 w/ Stand for 1860.00 (Shipped & Tax included) Should I do it?

Thats only 90.00 more than the 34xs955 w/stand package from crutchfield

So, If I can get a factory sealed 34xbr960 w/ Stand for 1860.00 (Shipped & Tax included) Should I do it?

Thats only 90.00 more than the 34xs955 w/stand package from crutchfield

Pretty hot deal there, my friend. If that's via a legit dealer and warranty is all set and everything, you'd be hard pressed to really do better.

So, If I can get a factory sealed 34xbr960 w/ Stand for 1860.00 (Shipped & Tax included) Should I do it?

Thats only 90.00 more than the 34xs955 w/stand package from crutchfield

Where did you find this deal on the 34xbr960?

I am on my 4th XBR960 now. I know that sounds a bit crazy, but there were unignorable problems with the first 3 (purple emittance from the corners, dead pixels, etc...) I am a Digital Imaging Technician by trade, so I have a sharp eye for detailed objects moving on a hi-def output monitor, and I know what to look for. So now on the 4th model, there is a problem which I just can't ignore that I did not notice on my previous 3. On all video inputs, when there are a lot of fast moving objects on the screen or when things are zooming in or out or transitions, or sometimes not even that fast moving, there is heavy pixelation going on mostly at the edge of where different objects meet each other. I am using Monster HDMI and component cables, and have noticed it mostly through Hi-Def cable signals and DVD. I am almost positive it is not the source (as the woman at the sony service number told me). I know this wasn't happening on the first couple I had. I have an ISF calibration scheduled for later this month, but I doubt that will fix this problem. Has anyone else had this problem or know what path I should take here as I am on my 4th one? I don't feel like going back for a 5th!! I just want to make sure I am not going crazy! :mad:

definitely sounds like a source issue IMO as well

but I am having a difficult time understanding what the problem is,
cause pixelization is normally cause of the source or scaler

have you considering buying an external scaler? although expensive, it might be easier than always being unhappywith the picture on the TV

If you don't see it on still scenes, and only when things are moving, it sounds like normal mpeg-2 compression artifacts. Perfectly normal on DVDs and HDTV especially.

Try renting one of those "superbit" DVDs and see if the problem is less. They use a higher bitrate for compression on those DVDs, so the artifacting should be less.

It's just that I didn't seem to notice it on the first 3 models I had, but now I do. I have a pretty close eye for detail. I guess I must be going nuts.

This pixelation along objects is one of the things im noticing also. It doesnt seem to be source..rather every source. When i pause DVDs and still motion it is readily apparent too. I have a good eye for detail, but im wondering if im expecting way too much from this TV? Is it only meant to be a great picture for TRUE HDTV thru HDMI input? I have also noticed the waviness as an object (airplane) moved from right to left. The plane looked like it was a flag waving....thats just not right.

I had no idea CRT tubes could have dead pixels.

My ISF calibrator did it for me and yes, it was absolutely worth it.

The ISF man willl tell you upfront if they're confident in doing the procedure. If they say "yes", go ahead and have them do it. If he says "no", take him at his word.

If you're under warranty, you might luck out and get a Sony tech who will do this for you for free.




Incorrect. My SD never looked as good as it does on the XBR960.

What settings do you have the tv on for SD viewing? Still trying to tweek my picture but could use a reference to start....

What settings do you have the tv on for SD viewing? Still trying to tweek my picture but could use a reference to start....

Pre ISF calibration, my settings were somewhere along these lines:

Pro and Monitor settings at all times for all things:

Brightness mid 40's or so.
Contrast mid 30's
Hue dead center
Color 31 or near dead center
Color temp = neutral or warm (experiement)
Edge ehancement off

I am on my 4th XBR960 now.

Has anyone else had this problem or know what path I should take here as I am on my 4th one? I don't feel like going back for a 5th!! I just want to make sure I am not going crazy! :mad:

Time to move on to a different brand and model. The Sony 960 is not for you.

Can someone please post the Service Menu PDF/DOC for the XBR960? Every link I have tried through the search have been dead.

THANKS!

here

Hey all.

I own the 34XBR910 the older brother of the 960. My main use for the set has been video gaming and now with the 360 it is gaming in HI DEF!!!

Anyways, I have had my 910 for 2 years now and still love it, but I am always looking for whatever screen that would make the games look better...

I have read alot about the SXRD. What do you think? Will my 910 out-do the 50" SXRD for gaming?

I am also wondering, since my set is more dated that if upgrading to the 960 from the 910 would be beneficial? Size is not as important and this 34xbr size has been fine for me, but just looking for the best possible picture for gaming.

Thanks!

Hey all.

I own the 34XBR910 the older brother of the 960. My main use for the set has been video gaming and now with the 360 it is gaming in HI DEF!!!

Anyways, I have had my 910 for 2 years now and still love it, but I am always looking for whatever screen that would make the games look better...

I have read alot about the SXRD. What do you think? Will my 910 out-do the 50" SXRD for gaming?

I am also wondering, since my set is more dated that if upgrading to the 960 from the 910 would be beneficial? Size is not as important and this 34xbr size has been fine for me, but just looking for the best possible picture for gaming.

Thanks!

No microdisplay is going to give a better picture than the 910/960 at this point. Your only upgrade is the 960.

No microdisplay is going to give a better picture than the 910/960 at this point. Your only upgrade is the 960.

That's not true!! I own both a 960(1 1/2 years) and a Qualia 006(8 months). They both have great pictures, but to say one has a better picture is a stretch.

Confessions of an obsessive forum reader.....


So I got all "freaked' out at the bowing that everyone was noticing.... I see it on my set too...but frankly if I hadn't been reading this forum I probably wouldn't have noticed. So I called Sony and they authorized a tech ( who is ISF enabled) to come out....Now i am kind of embarrassed that perhaps my service call request is over kill....since everyone is experiencing this bowing....what should I have this guy do? or not do.... I am kind of happy with the picture ...although I wish SD would be better....

should I cancel? ( although it may be too late.....)

Confessions of an obsessive forum reader.....


So I got all "freaked' out at the bowing that everyone was noticing.... I see it on my set too...but frankly if I hadn't been reading this forum I probably wouldn't have noticed. So I called Sony and they authorized a tech ( who is ISF enabled) to come out....Now i am kind of embarrassed that perhaps my service call request is over kill....since everyone is experiencing this bowing....what should I have this guy do? or not do.... I am kind of happy with the picture ...although I wish SD would be better....

should I cancel? ( although it may be too late.....)

You may as well let him come and do whatever he can do. It can't hurt.

I purchased a two month old 960 yesterday from a person who had to leave the country on very short notice (he didn't elaborate; I didn't ask), so I haven't had a lot of research time for peripherals. I'd appreciate whatever first-hand experience and pertinent links that anyone can pass on to me.

I want to buy a single disc DVD player that will allow the 960 to best utilize its performance capabilities without being an over-featured player for my needs. The 960 will be a family TV, playing rented DVD's. I'm fairly observant about picture defects, but not obsessively so. I want to spend less than $175.

I plan to use the 960's HDMI connection for the HD cable box (Cable Card not available until 2007 from my podunk cabe co.), and component connections for the DVD player.

Anyway, I searched here (and there) for reviews/comments on this particlar application, and found a potpourri of opinions and esoteric discourse, but nothing meaty that seemed to pertain specifically to my low-rent request here.

Anyone?

I purchased a two month old 960 yesterday from a person who had to leave the country on very short notice (he didn't elaborate; I didn't ask), so I haven't had a lot of research time for peripherals. I'd appreciate whatever first-hand experience and pertinent links that anyone can pass on to me.

I want to buy a single disc DVD player that will allow the 960 to best utilize its performance capabilities without being an over-featured player for my needs. The 960 will be a family TV, playing rented DVD's.

I'm fairly observant about picture defects, but not obsessively so. I want to spend less than $175.

Then you're probably not going to be very happy with what you can buy at $175.

I know Sony put out some new player near the $200 mark that's supposed to be pretty good. There's also that Oppo that everyone's raving about in the DVD player forum.

The Panaosnic s77 or s97 may be other alternatives. I really would encourage you to be somewhat flexible with that $175 budget.





I plan to use the 960's HDMI connection for the HD cable box (Cable Card not available until 2007 from my podunk cabe co.), and component connections for the DVD player.

Anyway, I searched here (and there) for reviews/comments on this particlar application, and found a potpourri of opinions and esoteric discourse, but nothing meaty that seemed to pertain specifically to my low-rent request here.

Anyone?

I think you should get a DVD player that makes use of the HDMI connection for upconverting/upscaling and use component for the cable box.

I purchased a two month old 960 yesterday from a person who had to leave the country on very short notice (he didn't elaborate; I didn't ask), so I haven't had a lot of research time for peripherals. I'd appreciate whatever first-hand experience and pertinent links that anyone can pass on to me.

I want to buy a single disc DVD player that will allow the 960 to best utilize its performance capabilities without being an over-featured player for my needs. The 960 will be a family TV, playing rented DVD's. I'm fairly observant about picture defects, but not obsessively so. I want to spend less than $175.

I plan to use the 960's HDMI connection for the HD cable box (Cable Card not available until 2007 from my podunk cabe co.), and component connections for the DVD player.

Anyway, I searched here (and there) for reviews/comments on this particlar application, and found a potpourri of opinions and esoteric discourse, but nothing meaty that seemed to pertain specifically to my low-rent request here.

Anyone?

Hi Ksnh,

I don't think you have to worry about finding a quality single disc DVD player for $175. Prices have dropped so much consumers can purchase very good basic players for much less. My brother purchased a new panasonic for $69 so not to overuse his DVD recorder with hard drive - he could not notice any difference in picture quality between the two. Just stick to name brands and reputable dealers.

HDMI is the best connection for video connection and should be used for HDTV (the top quality picture) and component for DVD (our DVD's look gorgeous through component).

I apologize in advance because although he told me several times what was wrong...I still did not understand completly....but.... I had a tech out today sent by Sony after complaining about the 'bowing" that I saw when the guide was on the screen as well as the black bars....I didn't know if I was imagining it or not...anyway he came and said Yes there was a problem... that the screen image was bowing by nearly 3/4 of an inch on each side.... he said that this happens when this set is moved ( often improperly) because it is so heavy that things shift inside.... he actually found a few loose parts and that something ( this is where I get a little blurry) had actually moved and that was causing the screen bowing.... he adjusted it ( I saw the word "service menu" on the screen) and it actually is better now!

I asked him how I can improve the SD picture ( he adjusted it a bit with the remote menu but I didn't like it and changed it back after he left....) but he said that your image is only as good as the equiptment and cables that carry it... meaning until I upgrade to a better sat receiver I am stuck with the less than stellar picture from the sat dish.....

Hey guys, I've done quite a bit of reading about this tv. (for example, I've ready the first 36pages of this thread) I'm not quite sure I'll get thru all of them. Anyway, Here's my situation.

I know that a 34inch widescreen is the best size for my living space, this is not a concern of mine. I plan to sit about 6 feet from this tv, as I currently do.

What I have now:
1) Zenith Crap 25 inch tv (about 6 years old)
2) ReplayTV box fed by TimeWarner Digital Cable box
3) Sony NS775 DVD player
4) Sony Ps2

I currently watch all inputs thru s-video on this 25 inch tv. It sucks! I have a green upper left corner, and a rounded tube television. (I don't even have anything close to an old wega set)

I am thinking of buying an HDTV for a few reasons. 1 I absolutely love watching dvds. I have a collection of about 300 movies. This widescreen tv will do wonders for my dvd watching especially since I ONLY purchase and watch widescreen films, my viewing size will get HUGE.

I also use my setup for watching television. Right now EVERYTHING i watch comes thru my ReplayTV box, its a 1 generation old 160gb box. It has 480p progressive component output. I would really like to use this box with whatever television I purchase. (I might upgrade to something like an HDTivo in the future, but I'm not certain that I need that now, I also dont want to spend money upgrading that component. I HATE watching stretched broadcast television. Whatever tv I buy, I can guarantee I'd rather not buy a new tv if I will be forced to watch a mis shaped head or lose inches of the top or bottom of the screen of my programing.

One reason I thought the tube is great, is that I can switch it into a 27 inch 4:3 tv.

So to break it down, by purchasing myself an xbr960, I'll be expecting the following.

1) Improved 16:9 picture size and quality of my dvd collection viewing
2) Improved size and quality viewing of my video games (and in future, ability to take advantage of an xbox 360)
3) Improved size and quality of my tv watching (initially on my current replaytv) I would be going from a 25 inch tv to a 27 inch. (I PLAN TO WATCH IN 4:3 MODE)

This may seem crazy, but I can't quite imagine myself watching too much HD programming just yet. Maybe I am crazy, and you can suggest things I might watch in HD, perhaps sopranos in march?????

I guess I can narrow my questions to these

1) Can I really use this set for 4:3 viewing on a regular basis? (if you think no, what is possible repair cost or life till repair is neccesary)
2) Will my current replaytv look better in progressive output @ 27 inches in 4:3 mode on this television than it does right now on my 25 inch craptv in s-video.
3) Should I start convincing myself that this tv will require me to purchase an HDTIVO and an HDCable box and package from TimeWarner

Am I looking at the wrong tv? I REALLY love the idea of a widescreen, I don't want to buy a square HD television. I care more about the size of my movies than the size of my tv shows, especially since at this distance, 25 is a fine size, 27 will be a nice little improvement. And in the future everything will go widescreen. I have thought about just buying a 4:3 wega 36 inch non hd. This is cheaper but won't help me in my goal of getting an xbox 360, nor will my movies be as good looking or large.

I really appreciate any advice you guys can give. Thanks!!

I really appreciate any advice you guys can give. Thanks!!

Buy the TV. Don't worry, be happy.

This may seem crazy, but I can't quite imagine myself watching too much HD programming just yet. Maybe I am crazy, and you can suggest things I might watch in HD, perhaps sopranos in march?????Well, you obviously haven't had a chance to watch much HDTV yet, or else you surely wouldn't have this position.

And you probably haven't visited someone who has a well-adjusted XBR960, else you surely wouldn't have this position. At your mentioned 6 foot viewing distance you will be in heaven with this set (once you get it adjusted properly, either by a Sony tech, and/or a local authorized service tech, and/or eventually yourself). This perfectly flat Trinitron presents the most realistic color I have ever seen anywhere.

I don't know what your viewing habits are, but the vast majority of prime time network shows are now in HDTV, and the late night Leno, Letterman and Conan shows are all in HDTV. Even Saturday Night Live has now moved to HDTV. CSI, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Las Vegas... and lots more of prime time high-quality HDTV. Looks gorgeous.

Most major sporting events (with some notable ridiculous exceptions) are now presented in HDTV. Wait until you see US Open Tennis in HDTV, which is unique because it's essentially stationary outdoor 1080i which means minimal MPEG motion artifacts and crystal clear edges. Wait until you see the Masters golf tournament, where you can see every blade of grass.

HBO-HD and SHO-HD have some terrific shows in supreme quality HD... like "Rome" and "Sopranos" on HBO, "Weeds", "L-Word" and "Sleeper Cell" on SHO, immediately come to mind. These networks have the best quality filmed HD in my opinion, better than network.

And watching DVD's on it is simply spectacular. But for me, I get more pleasure from watching movies in HDTV from HBO-HD and SHO-HD (especially the latter, which shows most movies in OAR).

Buy one fast to be sure you can get it adjusted properly before February, when the Winter Olympics in HDTV arrive. While the HDTV picture quality from Turin will, like with Athens, probably be slightly inferior to what things looked like back in 2002 from Salt Lake City (lot of technical explanations have been given, explaining why this the case), I can assure you that your jaw will drop when you watch indoor and outdoor winter sports in HDTV. The speed skating, on a snow-white ice rink with brilliant white lights in the venue installed specifically for HDTV and gorgeous contrasting bright colors of the skaters' "skins", well it is truly like you're sitting in the stands.

Believe me... you WILL be watching LOTS of HDTV, once you have it.

Although I have not done a side by side comparison....so perhaps it is just my imagination.... but the PQ I get with the 960 with my dish satellite does not seem as good as my old mitsubishi TV it replaced.....I have read this forum and tried using many of your setting recommendations...it helped.... but I still feel there is not a clarity in lines and and lot of "rubbish" in solid areas...( don't know how to describe all the little twitters and movement I see).

I know this TV is made for HDTV but shouldn't a CRT TV that cost $1600+ give us a drop dead picture with SD as well?

I guess my question is why is the SD PQ ( via my satellite) not great on this TV?

I guess my question is why is the SD PQ ( via my satellite) not great on this TV?Please provide more info...

Are you using S-video from your Dish receiver?

What are all of your user menu settings for that SD input?

Are you using DRC? If so, what mode and/or settings?

Have you had a visit from a Sony service tech? If so, what did he do?

Have you been into the service menu, to perform your own tweaks? If so, have you generally adjusted (a) geometry, (b) brightness, (c) color, (d) picture, in an attempt to improve SD display?

How does HD look on your set?

Thanks! for your interest......Answers are right after your questions....

Please provide more info...

Are you using S-video from your Dish receiver? YES

What are all of your user menu settings for that SD input?
Pro
Picture: 38
Bright:54
Color:39
Hue:0
Sharp:17
Temp: cool
Clear edge:high


Are you using DRC? If so, what mode and/or settings?

interlaced
Reality:55
Clarity: 50

Have you had a visit from a Sony service tech? If so, what did he do?

Yes... he came yesterday and adjusted what I thought was a bad bowing....

Have you been into the service menu, to perform your own tweaks? If so, have you generally adjusted (a) geometry, (b) brightness, (c) color, (d) picture, in an attempt to improve SD display?

afraid too

How does HD look on your set?
amazing....



What do you think?

Thanks! for your interest......Answers are right after your questions....

What do you think?Well, first, I'm glad that HD looks terrific since that's what this set is really about.

But as far as SD, I must say that my settings are considerably different from yours. I get my SD from DirectTV, and also feed my INPUT1 via S-video. So we probably should both be seeing very similar high-quality SD.

I realize everybody's tastes are different, and every CRT set is also probably different (unlike LCD/PLASMA/DLP which all seem to be clones and identical). The fact that your Sony tech did something immediately makes it different from mine. The fact that I've been into the service menu and you haven't immediately makes yours different from mine... not just in geometry but in picture characteristics as well.

Anyway, just for reference (and I am VERY happy with the way my SD from D* looks), here are my settings for INPUT1 (slightly different for INPUT3 where I have my off-air antenna input):

Pro
Picture = 39
Brightness = 33
Color = 34
Hue = 0
Sharpness = 21
Color temp = cool
ClearEdge VM = off
DRC = progressive
DRC palette = Custom 1 (which is still the Sony default of reality=25, clarity=1)
Color axis = default

I have done a great deal of tweaking in the service menu to fix convergence and geometry, including overscan, image size/positioning, horizontal/vertical/corner linearity, etc. Many of these affect how 4:3 SD looks as well as 16:9 HD. These adjustments were made initially using the Digital Video Essentials test patterns (meaning using a 480p DVD), but subsequently I used DisplayMate for Windows Video Edition running on my PC connected to the XBR960 via component video (from my ATI Radeon 9800 Pro, at 1080i). I did not adjust anything while looking at SD on 480i.

But I've done almost nothing to the picture controls in the service menu, other than the four major items affecting red-push. I've adjusted nothing here affecting brightness, gray-scale, color, etc. Color, brightness, contrast, etc. were adjusted solely in the user menu realm, again using Digital Video Essentials at 480p... on my INPUT5 which is where I have my DVD player connected. I then copied over to INPUT6, INPUT7 and iLink (where I watch my HD 720p and 1080i sources) and fine-tuned as seemed appropriate using "ordinary content" such as Leno whose colors etc. I adjusted ever so slightly (if at all) to my liking.

Although I have not done a side by side comparison....so perhaps it is just my imagination.... but the PQ I get with the 960 with my dish satellite does not seem as good as my old mitsubishi TV it replaced.....I have read this forum and tried using many of your setting recommendations...it helped.... but I still feel there is not a clarity in lines and and lot of "rubbish" in solid areas...( don't know how to describe all the little twitters and movement I see).

I know this TV is made for HDTV but shouldn't a CRT TV that cost $1600+ give us a drop dead picture with SD as well?

I guess my question is why is the SD PQ ( via my satellite) not great on this TV?


David I had Dish Network for around 8 years.

When I got my 960, it had to go.

The reason is that as you can now well see, Dish Network overcompresses its SD channels pretty horribly. The blobs, smearing facial features, twittering pixels, and macroblocking when fast movement occurs.

I was forced to switch to Comcast. Comcast also provides full bitrate HD, whereas Dish now is joing DirecTV in downrezzing HD content into "HD lite".

No amount of tweaking settings on your TV will fix this. You simply need better source content.

David I had Dish Network for around 8 years.

When I got my 960, it had to go.

The reason is that as you can now well see, Dish Network overcompresses its SD channels pretty horribly. The blobs, smearing facial features, twittering pixels, and macroblocking when fast movement occurs.

I was forced to switch to Comcast. Comcast also provides full bitrate HD, whereas Dish now is joing DirecTV in downrezzing HD content into "HD lite".

No amount of tweaking settings on your TV will fix this. You simply need better source content.

Are you happy with the results of switching to Comcast with the SD PQ as well as the HD picture? I don't mind giving up Dish ( I too have been with them for 6 or 7 years) if I can get a better quality picture on teh non HD images....

Hi! I am looking into buying this set and had a couple of questions.

First, about its effective resolution; I did search and read about 25% of this thread and did not find the answer. I would want to be able to drive this with a HTPC from time to time (using a DVI-to-HDMI cable.) I wanted to get an idea of what the "effective" resolution for this set should be, i.e. what can I expect it to display clearly.

Second, what I'm looking for is something of a "reference" set for the next few years. I have a Sony Artisan CRT that has filled this need but I got it cheap, as a refurb with some damage, and it's slowly starting to go. However I have never worked with a display device as sensitive and accurate as the Artisan. I don't expect the XBR960 to necessarily meet that lofty height, however for any of you who may be familiar with the Artisan, would the XBR come close?

First time posting, so here I go.
I have purchased a new KD-34xs955. This after going through 3 returns on a Samsung Slimfit 30". (Whole other story!) Anyhoo, this is actually my 2nd 955, as the first one had a sizable "magnetized" area in the upper left corner which did not clear up after a number of powering cycles. The picture was awesome, but frequently pixelated at the edges of high contrast and/or small detail items. The geometry was great (especially compared to the Sammy!) Then, I decided, I would exchange for another and things are now worse. Let me explain.
Firstly, I am using my XBOX 360 as my progressive DVD player connected though the component inputs. I did some elementary adjustments using the THX Optimizer on whatever PIXAR film was at hand. No problem. The new monitor is having some real problems displaying the same test material, namely the Brightness test (with the drop shadow). It looks HORRIBLE! Not only is there no drop shadow displayed, but there are pixelated artefacts all over the place. There is terrible amounts of "ringing"/"ghosting" around every high contrast or small objects edges. I have reduced Sharpness to MIN, I've shut down the VM in the 2170P-3 group and NOTHING. Obviously I see these artifacts in my SD material but the HD looks like poo, too! And, something has changed in the User Menu. In the first set, the COLOR slider showed that you were going from higher/lower color saturation, now it is a solid yellow slider like the rest. What gives?
Was I better off with the magnetized screen? :(

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Are you happy with the results of switching to Comcast with the SD PQ as well as the HD picture? I don't mind giving up Dish ( I too have been with them for 6 or 7 years) if I can get a better quality picture on teh non HD images....

The thing with cable tv, is that it varies from city to city.

I'm happier with SD on my local Comcast than I was with Dish, but it is nowhere near perfect. There are still some analog channels that they are in the process of converting to digital, which should happen in the next few months in this area here. The existing digital SD channels are pretty universally better looking than what I was experiencing with Dish when I gave up on them last year, but they aren't the "DVD quality" type picture that I had with Dish 8 years ago before they degraded everything.

There are threads in the hdtv forum for most local cable areas, so I would ask in your area there what people think.

http://www.highdefforum.com/showthread.php?t=2765&page=1&pp=10

Not sure there is a solution...but... it helped understand the source of the problem....

If cable is an option where you live, you might want to give it a shot for a week. The good thing is there is no long term contract, and the set top DVRs are either free or rentable. If you don't have a HD DVR with Dish, and don't want to spend the $$$ on one, this can save money. Also if you decide to stick with it, you may get a deal - Comcast gives me $40 off per month for 16 months or so. Maybe in late 2006 I'll switch back to satellite if they are better quality than now.

I have two Sony 34XBR960s purchased in Dec. 2004. Cable company is Cox Communications. One TV is hooked up to a Motorola HD DVR while the other TV has a CableCard. CableCard TV...no issues as of yet. The TV hooked up to the HD DVR is having Screen Mode problems which started last week. On SD broadcasts on any channel, the TV keeps switching screen modes...Full, Zoom, Wide Zoom, Normal, etc. on its own while viewing. On the Screen Menu the 4:3 default is set to "off" while the Screen Mode default is set to "Normal"...but it will not stay on that setting.

Anyone else have this problem???...can't search 95 pages of thread here at work.

Is this a Sony TV tuner problem or a STB signal noise problem?

Get Cox to switch the box -or- get an Authorized Sony Tech to check out the set???

I just had Insight cable install HDTV, and now have had a few days to play with my new 960 and HD. I can already see differences in program/signal quality on the various HD channels. What's funny is that the whole family is watching programs that we would never watch before, simply because it is offered in HD.

Anyhow...on to my main topic. I am planning on having my set ISF calibrated by Chad Billheimer (HDTVbychadB). Does anybody out there have experience with him calibrating your 960? If not, how about others who have had their 960's calibrated...what are your impressions of having it done? Any first-hand experiences would be appreciated.

I just had Insight cable install HDTV, and now have had a few days to play with my new 960 and HD. I can already see differences in program/signal quality on the various HD channels. What's funny is that the whole family is watching programs that we would never watch before, simply because it is offered in HD.

Anyhow...on to my main topic. I am planning on having my set ISF calibrated by Chad Billheimer (HDTVbychadB). Does anybody out there have experience with him calibrating your 960? If not, how about others who have had their 960's calibrated...what are your impressions of having it done? Any first-hand experiences would be appreciated.

I've been pimping Chad quite shamelessly for months. Short version: You're in for a real amazing and thorough experience from a hell of a guy.

Long version:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=561596

:)

Hi all,

Remember to check your cablebox to be sure all signal types are passed onto your 960.

I did this upon receiving the 960 in August but was concerned fiddling with general settings might have thrown it off. Turning off the box to raise the special HD set-up I suddenly found a second, more advanced test to use. This time I was sure all signals from 420I to 1080P (I think those are the terms) were being fed into the set.

Obviously I did not have the cable box properly set and what a surprise! Now, the output is indicated on screen (1080P, etc.) whenever there is a change in signal. Wide zoom can be applied to non-HD signals through the HDMI (and automatically returns to full when it senses a HD signal). And, most importantly, when we thought it was impossible to exhibit a better picture than the 960 was already was providing, HD and digital became even more razor sharp and vibrant than before (it's almost like upgrading to a non-existant 961 LOL).

So those of us non-technical owners should remember to adjust the cable box so it can pass the highest quality signal onto your 960. It does make some difference.

(may be a stupid question, but im too lazy to look it up)

does sony make any 42" xbr Rear projection tvs? Thanks

(may be a stupid question, but im too lazy to look it up)

does sony make any 42" xbr Rear projection tvs? Thanks

No I belive that the 50" SXRD sets are the smallest. They do make a 42" A10, but not XBR. Crutchfield has the most logical layout of sets. Filter based on type and then limit to Sony.

I called to get a second opinion on my set and they sent out THE SAME DAMN GUY THAT CAME OUT LAST TIME.

Why is it so hard to find a guy that knows about geometry and convergence issues?

I just found this thread. Have searched for mention of this problem but found nothing on it, so here goes:

Purchased my 960 11/04 and have been extremely pleased with it until recently. About 5-6 weeks ago, began experiencing severely degraded picture quality upon first power-up in the morning (wavy vertical lines and much interference, as if receiving a weak station over antenna -- but I'm on cable.) Present on all channels. Power off, then on again and problem is gone. No trace of similar problems simultaneously on any other TVs. About the same time this started, I thought the degausser was louder than usual at power on. When I power off/power on to clear the problem, degausser is much, much quieter than it was at initial power-on. For several weeks, this only happened at the first power-on of the day. Lately, it has happened occasionally at subsequent power-ons. Have checked the diagnostic screen and it shows all zeros (i.e., no problems noted). Anyone else have this problem? Would appreciate any suggestions before calling in the tech. Thanks.

Sam, do you have the TV plugged into a surge protector? As strange as it sounds, Sony recommends NOT having the TV plugged into anything except the wall outlet. According to them, the TV requires a constant amount of power and sometimes surge protectors limit the power and don't allow the TV to get all it needs. I've heard this can mess with the degaussing at power-up. Hope this helps.

Jeremy

Sam, do you have the TV plugged into a surge protector? As strange as it sounds, Sony recommends NOT having the TV plugged into anything except the wall outlet. According to them, the TV requires a constant amount of power and sometimes surge protectors limit the power and don't allow the TV to get all it needs. I've heard this can mess with the degaussing at power-up. Hope this helps.

Jeremy

Thanks, Jeremy. I do have it plugged into a surge protector. I'll see if it improves by removing it.

Sam

I called to get a second opinion on my set and they sent out THE SAME DAMN GUY THAT CAME OUT LAST TIME.

Why is it so hard to find a guy that knows about geometry and convergence issues?


That's why I just skipped right to an ISF calibration so I could get it all done right the first time without any angst or guesswork.

Thanks, Jeremy. I do have it plugged into a surge protector. I'll see if it improves by removing it.

Sam

I was getting some degaussing issues when I first got the set as well. Changed from the surge protector to the cable box and haven't had any problems since (the cable box powers on and then the TV after a delay). Technically nothing has changed as the cable box is plugged into the surge protector, but perhaps the cable box having a full power on before the TV helps? Dunno, but it has worked so far (about a month).

I think there is some talk about 5 pages up about UPS delivering the best of both worlds (protection and full degaussing). Just use "Search this thread" and query "UPS".

I haven't looked very far back into this massive thread, and this question may have been asked before: Is there any difference between the 960 and the 960N? It appears that the 960 is in a silver case and the 960N is in a black case. Is that true and if so is that the only difference? I'm getting really close to pulling the trigger on this.

John

The "N" is the newer model that has the somewhat problematic anti-glare feature removed. According to Sony, they had MANY complaints about the original anti-glare coating or cover and have since removed it.

Jeremy

Thanks, Jeremy. It's interesting that the "N" costs less than the older 960 at some Internet dealers.

John

I was getting some degaussing issues when I first got the set as well. Changed from the surge protector to the cable box and haven't had any problems since (the cable box powers on and then the TV after a delay). Technically nothing has changed as the cable box is plugged into the surge protector, but perhaps the cable box having a full power on before the TV helps? Dunno, but it has worked so far (about a month).

I think there is some talk about 5 pages up about UPS delivering the best of both worlds (protection and full degaussing). Just use "Search this thread" and query "UPS".


Well, I plugged the 960 directly into the wall socket. The first time I turned it on after being off for a couple of hours the problem still occurred. I'll see if it improves over time, but I'm not expecting it to do so. Wonder if some permanent damage has been done? Thanks for the suggestion, anyway, and I guess I'll keep it off the surge supressor regardless of whether it fixes the problem.

So... aren't widescreen DVDs supposed to take up the entire 960 screen? Because mine aren't. :(

So... aren't widescreen DVDs supposed to take up the entire 960 screen? Because mine aren't. :(

Different theaterical ratios? 2:35:1? Etc.?

You don't know this?

can anyone tell me what picture settings people are using for the best PQ(34xs955)? I'm gonna compare the Panasonic and the Sony head-to-head at CC and purchase but don't want to bottleneck either one from crappy factory defaults.

So... aren't widescreen DVDs supposed to take up the entire 960 screen? Because mine aren't. :(
it happens on any widescreen tv if you dont set it in the dvd player. While you're playing or with no dvd in the player, go to the menu or settings and there should be an option for aspect ratio, set that to 16:9 widescreen and it should work.

So... aren't widescreen DVDs supposed to take up the entire 960 screen? Because mine aren't. :(

You have never noticed that some films are filmed wider than others while your tv remains the same?

Hey everyone. While moving into my new apartment, the idea came up that it would be desirable to take my 960 out of the box to navigate the stairs. Needless to say this was not sucessful and my 960 ended up resting on the concrete stairs a few times. So now both front corners have the equivalent of curb rash and the whole bottom front panel is torn up. Any suggestions on how to fix this, ie replacement parts, creative mending techniques, ect? And yes, it is very noticeable, as I have the Sony stand and the feet are not flush with the stand. I know it's only a tv, but this is my first XBR and it kinda breaks my heart to see it like this.

Thanks!

It doesn't help with stairs, but look up a product like "Super Sliders from Waxman."

http://www.waxman.com/surfaceprotectionproducts.htm


These are pads of sorts that you put underneath furniture and you can literally slide and move that furniture around with great ease, all by yourself.

I can't tell you how many times these have already bailed me out. When I had my carpets changed a month ago, where my XBR960 is, the job was done in a jiffy, thanks to these things.

I moved the XBR960, on its stand, in it entirety, by myself with ease, simply by slipping one of these under each of the four corners of the furniture, and sliding it all into another room.

They almost work too well. I moved a queen sized bed across the room, fully assembled, simply by using the above method. That thing practically flew across the room on these things.



I can't recommend a product like this enough to EVERYONE.

Well, I plugged the 960 directly into the wall socket. The first time I turned it on after being off for a couple of hours the problem still occurred. I'll see if it improves over time, but I'm not expecting it to do so. Wonder if some permanent damage has been done? Thanks for the suggestion, anyway, and I guess I'll keep it off the surge supressor regardless of whether it fixes the problem.

Personally, I'd be nervous about plugging anything expensive right into the wall. If I remember correctly the prices of the UPS units were not much worse than a good surge protector. Best bet would be to PM one of the people that own them and see if they respond. If unplugging it > 5min. doesn't do the trick, it sounds like you are still w/i the 2 year warranty, so perhaps just have a tech take a look. Whatever the case, good luck. :)

So... aren't widescreen DVDs supposed to take up the entire 960 screen? Because mine aren't. :(

Hi Fount. This page may be helpful to you: http://www.highdefforum.com/showthread.php?t=4705

Wow this forum looks to be awsome, isn't it amazing that there are great forums for just about everything these days? Well Let me just say that I am expecting to get this TV sometime around christmas and am excited to see all of the positive things. Besides screen size, bulk, weight and factory defects are there any other problems or down sides with this set? Also as I bet many of you know the Xbox360 is out now and hopefully I will have mine soon. Now how do you people think it will look on this set? Has anyone tried it? I was under the impression that CRT's had faster refresh rates than LCD's and such but I just heard that LCD's have 60 fps while CRT's have 30, well who is right? Thank you in advance and let me just say this is so far from what I can see a wonderful forum with wonderful members and please post any kind of helpful response, the longer the better thank you again.

Wow this forum looks to be awsome, isn't it amazing that there are great forums for just about everything these days? Well Let me just say that I am expecting to get this TV sometime around christmas and am excited to see all of the positive things. Besides screen size, bulk, weight and factory defects are there any other problems or down sides with this set? Also as I bet many of you know the Xbox360 is out now and hopefully I will have mine soon. Now how do you people think it will look on this set? Has anyone tried it? I was under the impression that CRT's had faster refresh rates than LCD's and such but I just heard that LCD's have 60 fps while CRT's have 30, well who is right? Thank you in advance and let me just say this is so far from what I can see a wonderful forum with wonderful members and please post any kind of helpful response, the longer the better thank you again.


I have the Xbox360 set at 1080i and it looks amazing on this set. You'd be hard pressed to do appreciably better without spending thousands of dollars more.

LOL thank you again bandit. Again why would you not set your xbox to 720p? How would that make it look worse?

LOL thank you again bandit. Again why would you not set your xbox to 720p? How would that make it look worse?

No.

In fact, I still switch back and forth on occasion just for grins.

But since this set natively goes to 1080i, I figure eliminating any conversion process is probably the best way to go.

You may find that you prefer throwing the Xbox360 to 720p. It can do it very well both ways.

It's real close! :)

will anyone care to answer my question??? what image settings are you guys using for the 34xs955/34xbr960?

it happens on any widescreen tv if you dont set it in the dvd player. While you're playing or with no dvd in the player, go to the menu or settings and there should be an option for aspect ratio, set that to 16:9 widescreen and it should work.

Not with movies that have been filmed in a 2:35:1 aspect ratio. There are no ways of eliminating black bars with 2:35:1 movies even on 16:9 widescreen TV's (unless you zoom in on the picture). Now 1.85:1 is a different matter and should fill the screen of all widescreen TV's completely.

Now 1.85:1 is a different matter and should fill the screen of all widescreen TV's completely.

but this is only so cause of overscan, if you eliminated overscan through the Service Menu, you will get black bars on 1.85:1 movies as well, cause 16:9 TVs are 1.78:1

will anyone care to answer my question??? what image settings are you guys using for the 34xs955/34xbr960?

Search the thread, there are quite a few posts with image settings.

Personally, I'd be nervous about plugging anything expensive right into the wall. If I remember correctly the prices of the UPS units were not much worse than a good surge protector. Best bet would be to PM one of the people that own them and see if they respond. If unplugging it > 5min. doesn't do the trick, it sounds like you are still w/i the 2 year warranty, so perhaps just have a tech take a look. Whatever the case, good luck. :)

Actually, the advice was given to me by a Sony service representative. At first I did not understand the logic either, however, by reviewing past threads you'll see the reason regards the amount of initial power required to start the set; surge protectors do not immediately provide 100% power needed by the 960 for automatic de-gaussing when first being turned on.

i don't know if this was mentioned here or not, since this thread is pretty long and i just came across it, but does anyone here using the Sony DVPNS70H upconverting dvd player with this tv notice a shift on the top of the screen when you set the dvd player to 1080i?

i'm trying out the A10, and there's a half inch or so shift on the top of the screen when i set the dvd player to 1080i, and it almost disappears when i set the dvd player to 720p. i know there was a thread about the shift, but i thought i would check here, since from what i've read it can only be seen on certian model tv's. the A10 is one of them, and this was my second choice (that may become my first choice after seeing the lack of black levels on the A10) and i was curious if this tv was subject to that shift bug or not. i've heard excellent things about that dvd player, and my main purpose for the tv is dvd's and HD sports channels...

also, a quick question, how's SD on this set? i know SD looks less than stellar on Plasma's and DLP's and LCD's, but does the fact that this is a tube tv mean that SD wil look the same as it did on my SD 36" Sony Wega, or will it look worse because it's a HD monitor?

Search the thread, there are quite a few posts with image settings.
lmfao look thru 100 pages of posts? i think i have a life.

[QUOTE=Joseph Dubin]Actually, the advice was given to me by a Sony service representative. At first I did not understand the logic either, [QUOTE]

Oh my, I wasn't questioning the source or logic behind your post... certainly hope it didn't come across that way. I was only pointing him to the discussion on pages 79-82 of this thread, which explain the issue in detail... and different solutions used. Personally, *I* would not plug anything expensive directly into the wall, but that was not meant to question that someone from Sony didn't say that to you. I suppose if the issue persisted for me I would opt for the UPS or power conditioner solutions mentioned in those posts.

Hello all, i purchased this set about three weeks back and it's picture quality is astounding using the Xbox360 and cable HD broadcasts.. but i'm sure many of you already know this.

My question to all here is:

Does this set display 720p native, because when i set my X360 for 720p in the 360's display menu, it seems like it actually is displaying it native. (i was thinking this is not possible, but this set does say 1400 lines of resolution, so i'm thinking 720p is not impossible here)

Or is it simply upconverting it to 1080i without my knowing of it?

Also, if it is upconverting it to 1080i, whould i set it for this Sony to upconvert a 720p X360 game, or set the XBox 360 to output in 1080i?

And yes, Iv'e tried both, and it while the PQ seems about identicle, it really seems like there are more jaggies when set to 720p, compared to 1080i. (or maybe i'm seeing things that are not there..lol)

TIA

Yes it upconverts all HD to 1080i.

Seeing less jaggies in that xbox mode would make sense because the total resolution is 1920 x 1080 vs. 1280 x 720 for 720p. Of course though the 1080i resolution is split over two successive fields of an interlaced display.

I haven't gotten a 360 yet, but I hope to early next year, and I think I will use the 1080i mode of it as long as it doesn't seem to negatively affect game frame rates.

I am new to these boards and have owned my XBR960 since september. I recently read posts on how to reduce the overscan on my tv and pretty much followed it to the letter by first adjusting the "raster" then the picure and now notice that the right side of my screen there is a 1 inch vertical strip that is lighter than the rest of the picure. I really only notice it when there is a black screen and the brightness is turned up. It also seems to be tied into the HPOS setting in that it will disappear the higher I adjust but then that defeats the whole purpose of eliminating the overscan.

Has anyone else experienced this? I this a normal when adjusting the overscan and will it go away over time? If it is a defect in the tv will it be covered under the warranty and will they cover the warranty if I have been into the service menu?

Any help and advice on this issue is greatly appreciated.

Hey All,

I've had my 960 for about 2 months and so far I am thrilled with quality of this display. I am having on issue though. If I shut the set off while watching one of the Video inputs, when I turn the set back on, my tuner can find no signal. I have to shut the set off while the Tuner is the active source and then when I turn it back on again, the Tuner works fine. This doesn't happen all the time, but it does it seems to happen all the time when the set is shut off all night, for 6 hours or so. Is this something that I should have looked at or is this "normal"??

Also, one last question. It seems as if this set needs to warm up for for a 1/2 hour or so when it's first powered up before the picture really gets "dialed" in. Is this something that will go away after the sets broke in or is it always going to be like this? or should it never be like this??

Thanks

Jamie B

Was your set manufactured quite a long time ago? (look on the back of it for the date). I recall waaay back at the beginning of this thread there was some people who had "cold tuner" issues. There was some fix for it, but I don't recall. You'll have to go back and find it.

Regarding dialing in - my set doesn't look any different after being on 30 seconds as it does an hour later.

A manufacture date of november 2004 - Which I was kind of surprised at considering I bought this at ABT in oct of 2005. Is that considered one of the older sets that had issues with the tuners??

It could be, I don't remember that well. You'll have to go searching or looking through the early posts on this thread from last year.

[QUOTE=Joseph Dubin]Actually, the advice was given to me by a Sony service representative. At first I did not understand the logic either, [QUOTE]

Oh my, I wasn't questioning the source or logic behind your post... certainly hope it didn't come across that way. I was only pointing him to the discussion on pages 79-82 of this thread, which explain the issue in detail... and different solutions used. Personally, *I* would not plug anything expensive directly into the wall, but that was not meant to question that someone from Sony didn't say that to you. I suppose if the issue persisted for me I would opt for the UPS or power conditioner solutions mentioned in those posts.

Hi NJT,

Please don't worry - it never even occured to me that your comment could be taken as disrepectful especially since we've replied to each other before. I just wanted those new to the forum to know Sony was the source of my information.

On another subject, it was just my luck that a cateract hampering my vision developed the same time I got my 960! It's being removed on Monday which means I won't have to keep one eye closed for optimin viewing anymore. Just hope after all the tweaking I don't find my settings were based on poor vision and are now all wrong LOL!

Take care,
Joe

quick question about geometry issues...

i just purchased 2 Sony A10's, one 50" and one 42", and i noticed that 4:3 images look completely different on both of them. i just powered up the 42" today, for the first time, and the bars on the left side are curved compared to the 50" that i've been using for a few weeks. it's more noticable on the left side, and is really dissapointing overall, to the point that i plan on returning the set since i do watch some 4:3 broadcasts and prefer not to stretch them out. the bars on the 50" go about 1/8" outward, from top to bottom, but there's no curve and it's much less noticable. the bad news is that i plan on returning the 50", because i feel it's too big for my room, and the 42" was supposed to replace it. after seeing the geometry issues with it though, that's not going to happen, and honestly i'm quite dissapointed after seeing such poor performance from a tv that got such good reviews. the 16:9 HD image is excellent, but the 4:3 image is horrible, and to me that's just as important as the 16:9 HD image...

i know these aren't the projection forums, and this isn't the A10 thread, but the reason for my post is that i've heard that geometry issues like that (straight bars, that are actually centered and straight) are usually an issue with projection tv's...

my question is this also an issue with tube tv's? my second choice is this tv, and even though i sit about 11' away, the small size of the tv isn't an issue. i know the source may sometimes be the culprit, but i also measured the 42" with a 4:3 dvd, and the set was just as bad. i've heard the Samsung Slimfit has horrible 4:3 geometry issues, which is what made me second guess my question, since that's a tube tv. that's why i decided to ask it here, and any help would be greatly appreciated...

bars on the left side are curved compared to the 50" that i've been using for a few weeks. it's more noticable on the left side, and is really dissapointing overall, to the point that i plan on returning the set since i do watch some 4:3 broadcasts and prefer not to stretch them out. the bars on the 50" go about 1/8" outward, from top to bottom, but there's no curve and it's much less noticable.

my question is this also an issue with tube tv's?Geometry in general is a problem with all CRT devices, including computer monitors.

But that's what service menu items are for... to adjust these things. Computer CRT monitors have them, and all Sony CRT's have them.

Vertical (and even horizontal) curvature like you're describing would most likely be addressed mainly by the "pincushion" set of adjustments in both the horizontal and vertical directions. The Sony CRT family provides a whole family of pincushion tweaks, for upper/lower/left/right and even middle-of-the-line locations. There are also complementary adjustments for trapezoid, both (a) horizontal and (b) middle horizontal. Throw in corner linearity adjustments, skew corrections, vertical line angle linearity adjustments, and you really should be able to make straight lines look like straight lines and right angles look like right angles, all over the screen... not just in the corners.

I don't know anything about non-CRT's but the way a set appears when it first comes out of the box does not necessarily speak to what it should (or can) look like once properly adjusted. Now as to why it doesn't leave the factory properly adjusted in the first place... well that'a very good question.

Im new to adjusting overscan on my tv. I have the 34xbr910. Should I follow the excel spreadsheet 34xbr910 calibration? And use the adjustments that are in there. Thanks for any advice.

Guys i'm confused here, because i just read this old review of the XBR910:

http://reviews.cnet.com/Sony_KV_34XBR910/4505-6481_7-30536650-5.html

Performance of Sony KV-34XBR910
The 910 sets a new overall performance benchmark for wide-screen direct-view HDTVs. The big news is the resolution of the new Super Fine Pitch screen: 1,401 horizontal lines, according to Sony. The 910 still can't display every pixel of true 1,920x1,080 (1080i) high-definition TV, but it comes far closer than any other direct-view tube we've tested.


I did'nt know HDTV's of the CRT type cannot display the whole 1920 lines, and besides the XBR910 and XBR960 handling 1400, so CNET is saying the most the other sets can only handle is 1000?

Is this true?

And if it's true, do LCD's display the full 1280 lines across while most CRT's only can handle 1000(or so)? [except the Sony XBR line)

One last thing, say i'm running my Xbox 360 in 720p and it's upconverted to 1080i, will this XBR960 use all 1400 lines across for the image display?

And how does this compare to LCD's that can handle native 720, where 1280 lines are displayed in full?

One last thing, i was holiday shopping this weekend, and those Samsung LCD's hooked up to the Xbox 360 display's looked extremely sharp..actually sharper then the XBR960. Is this because it displays native 720p and the XBR upconverts to 1080i, and even though i has 1400 lines..are they all being used in the upconverting?

I'll say one thing about that LCD(and most other LCD's), is the HDTV image quality was not as sharp as the XBR960, in looking at all the display HDTV's at C. City, and for the 360 display there was noticable blurring and not as sharp detail really up close the colors seemed to blend with each other.

TIA, i know this is one long reply, but this 1400 line thing kinda shocked me.

btw: I'm wondering if getting a VGA adapter for the 360 will offer better image quality in 720p compared to 1080i on this XBR960?

I did'nt know HDTV's of the CRT type cannot display the whole 1920 lines, and besides the XBR910 and XBR960 handling 1400, so CNET is saying the most the other sets can only handle is 1000?

Is this true?

And if it's true, do LCD's display the full 1280 lines across while most CRT's only can handle 1000(or so)? [except the Sony XBR line)

One last thing, say i'm running my Xbox 360 in 720p and it's upconverted to 1080i, will this XBR960 use all 1400 lines across for the image display?

And how does this compare to LCD's that can handle native 720, where 1280 lines are displayed in full?

One last thing, i was holiday shopping this weekend, and those Samsung LCD's hooked up to the Xbox 360 display's looked extremely sharp..actually sharper then the XBR960. Is this because it displays native 720p and the XBR upconverts to 1080i, and even though i has 1400 lines..are they all being used in the upconverting?

I'll say one thing about that LCD(and most other LCD's), is the HDTV image quality was not as sharp as the XBR960, in looking at all the display HDTV's at C. City, and for the 360 display there was noticable blurring and not as sharp detail really up close the colors seemed to blend with each other.

TIA, i know this is one long reply, but this 1400 line thing kinda shocked me.

btw: I'm wondering if getting a VGA adapter for the 360 will offer better image quality in 720p compared to 1080i on this XBR960?

Okay that was too many repeated questions in which I'm not sure if I can handle but I'll tell you this much...

The Sony XBR handles Xbox 360 via component with the 360 set 720p perfectly. Let the tv do the scaling since you figure, it's better than some $400 gaming console. Also, if you hook up a 360 to an LCD using VGA...Lookout!! It's alot better than component. Much much more vivid and pristine. Call of Duty 2 is great with component but jaw-dropping with VGA (as I have tested both on a Bravia LCD). Don't believe me just see for yourself if and when you get the chance. So VGA would be the ULTIMATE connection for your 360. No questions asked.

Also, don't let the 1400 line thing shock you. Never fear higher resolution.

If your eyes tells you that the Samsung LCD is sharper than the 960 for gaming then you know what to get. Your right that the Samsung pales in comparison to the 960 as far as hdtv goes. The 960 is what I like to call, pure VIDEO NIRVANA. King Kong will never in probably 2 years from now look any better than on a 960. Upcoming winter olympics will reign king on the 960 and all the lcd's and plasmas just won't keep up. Gaming might be another story. I still think the 960 is top tier for gaming but some think an LCD is sharper. Me personally get sick of all the motion blur and unrealistic images. I played King Kong briefly on the Samsung LCD and the jungle looked fake. Usually I would say this is not a bad thing while watching hdtv but for gaming....No! The 960 is more natural. Go watch King Kong at the cinema and tell me how fake and artificial it looked. It didn't. Peter Jackson made it as smooth and natural as can be and the Sony 960 nearabout replicates the scenes in the game.

Let you eyes be the judge.

[QUOTE=Kristopher79]The 960 is what I like to call, pure VIDEO NIRVANA. King Kong will never in probably 2 years from now look any better than on a 960. Upcoming winter olympics will reign king on the 960 and all the lcd's and plasmas just won't keep up.

Kris you are so right about the 960. Some might remember that I mentioned having a cateract removed yesterday. Before the procedure I could only sit a certain distance and angle for best viewing.

Well, I can see clearly now (sorry Johnny Nash) and it's a repeat of the experience I had when the 960 was first delivered! I was prepared for some improvement in picture quality but was in shock (pleasantly) and literally BLOWN AWAY after taking off the patch and viewing for the first time the full spectrum of the 960's vibrance, sharpness, detail and color (and I thought it looked great beforehand) on HD and DVD and even digital cable and VHS.

This summer before my cateract was a problem I viewed many plasmas and LCDs - including models that stores properly tweaked to push on the consumer. I can now honestly say the 960 beats them hands down! Or in Kris's words, it's Pure Video Nirvana!

Hey All,

I've had my 960 for about 2 months and so far I am thrilled with quality of this display. I am having on issue though. If I shut the set off while watching one of the Video inputs, when I turn the set back on, my tuner can find no signal. I have to shut the set off while the Tuner is the active source and then when I turn it back on again, the Tuner works fine. This doesn't happen all the time, but it does it seems to happen all the time when the set is shut off all night, for 6 hours or so. Is this something that I should have looked at or is this "normal"??

Also, one last question. It seems as if this set needs to warm up for for a 1/2 hour or so when it's first powered up before the picture really gets "dialed" in. Is this something that will go away after the sets broke in or is it always going to be like this? or should it never be like this??

Thanks

Jamie B
Jamie, I have a similar situation; my 960 is about 4 months old,manufactured in December 2004...I am on my 3rd tuner; I had the exact problems you described above with the original and the first replacement; this latest works mosto f the time, but I occasionally have to turn the set off, then right back on; there was a post here about the "qbox" being the cause of the signal loss, but I believe that was only if you are using a cable box & the tuner couldn't handle all the channels it would receive; I am gettting about 10 stations OTA only, so no cable box involved..anyway, I can leave the set off for days and turn it on and get signals immediately regardless of what input it was left on; the next day, I'll have to do the on/off routine; there seems to be no pattern...good luck with your set because as you know, it delivers a terrific picture when it works...MM

This model is my first choice for a bedroom TV. Unfortunately, the matching stand is nowhere near tall enough for our raised bed.

Does anyone know of a stand that is 25" or taller, or any idea for that matter??

This is the tv that I really want, I've just been searching in vain for a stand tall enough, that's big enough, that will hold the weight of the tv.

Sorry for asking another question...

Does this unit have any type of onscreen guide, or TV guide to use with a cable card?

Sorry for asking another question...

Does this unit have any type of onscreen guide, or TV guide to use with a cable card?

Not a good one.

If you have a laptop handy during TV viewing log onto the TV Guide site.

Not a good one.

If you have a laptop handy during TV viewing log onto the TV Guide site.


By good one, do you mean horrible?

All I would want it to do is the basics.

what do you guys think of the BDI Vector 9525 stand?

I think this might be tall enough, it's reasonably priced, but is it strong enough?

By good one, do you mean horrible?

All I would want it to do is the basics.

Yes

Basics is an understatement. For SD channels I get the call letters and program name. For digital channels I get the call letters.

what do you guys think of the BDI Vector 9525 stand?

I think this might be tall enough, it's reasonably priced, but is it strong enough?

I have my 30XS955 on this stand. It will hold the weight of the 960 but the top shelf is not wide enough for it.

I have my 30XS955 on this stand. It will hold the weight of the 960 but the top shelf is not wide enough for it.

I just figured this out!! :( :(


Any ideas?

Yes

Basics is an understatement. For SD channels I get the call letters and program name. For digital channels I get the call letters.


Does it give you channel number or something you can "remember" to go back to?

Does it give you channel number or something you can "remember" to go back to?

Yes, I do get channel numbers.

Sorry for asking another question...

Does this unit have any type of onscreen guide, or TV guide to use with a cable card?

When using a cable card and the 960's built in HD tuner the index feature allows for momentary viewing of programs currently broadcast on all other stations. Thumbnail pictures of each scroll up the right side and become a momentary moving picture when reaching a certain box in the column. The station is changed when clicking the thumbnail. It also works if using over the air antennas or a splitter to bypass the cable box for twin view of unscrambled stations.

Does anyone know of a stand that is 25" or taller, or any idea for that matter??Billy Bags products (not cheap, but excellent).

For example, here's a 360o swivel-top table that's 40" wide, 30" high, 21" deep, and can support 300lbs. Billy Bags #4020-3 TV table with component shelves (http://www.billybags.com/S-4020-3.html)

I've got my XBR960 in my bedroom sitting on a custom Billy Bags "low-boy" rack that I designed and had them build for me: 48" wide, 24" to the top surface of faux granite, contains shelf space for 6 components, 6 legs (for added support in the middle) with 1" isolation point feet.

Billy Bags is very well known for all kinds of racks. Not cheap, but excellent.Stock product TV stand selection (http://www.billybags.com/selection.html#tvstands)

I don't mean to get side track, but does anyone have experience using a Sony CX995V 400 DVD Changer with this tv? I hear most excellent things about the Oppo upconverting dvd player but I thought I might give this 400 disc changer a shot since I have so many dvds. It has hdmi output so I'm thinking it should look nice on the XBR but what do you think compared to the Oppo?

If the quality is going to be that much worse than the Oppo then I don't have to have it...was just something I'm considering.

Thanks

Also, don't let the 1400 line thing shock you. Never fear higher resolution.

If your eyes tells you that the Samsung LCD is sharper than the 960 for gaming then you know what to get. Your right that the Samsung pales in comparison to the 960 as far as hdtv goes. The 960 is what I like to call, pure VIDEO NIRVANA. King Kong will never in probably 2 years from now look any better than on a 960. Upcoming winter olympics will reign king on the 960 and all the lcd's and plasmas just won't keep up. Gaming might be another story. I still think the 960 is top tier for gaming but some think an LCD is sharper. Me personally get sick of all the motion blur and unrealistic images. I played King Kong briefly on the Samsung LCD and the jungle looked fake. Usually I would say this is not a bad thing while watching hdtv but for gaming....No! The 960 is more natural. Go watch King Kong at the cinema and tell me how fake and artificial it looked. It didn't. Peter Jackson made it as smooth and natural as can be and the Sony 960 nearabout replicates the scenes in the game.

Let you eyes be the judge.

Thanks for the you input here, i appreciate it.

I have a few quesions to run by you:

1) That Samsung LCD was probably connected via VGA adapter, making it seem like it had a sharper image quality then the XBR960..when playing on a Xbox360.
However it also had blurryness with fog and other fast action in COD2, and with the King Kong demo, most of that jungle level just appeared strange and unrealistic. Like you said it appeares "fake".

So while using a VGA adpater connection brings in better quaity, that LCD had other issues(even the flesh colors seemed to blend) that made me wonder why anyone would choose it for the HDTV for their 360.

Having said this, Component is not the equal of quality of VGA is, so would you think if the 360 could output(or eventually would) in HDMI, how would this compare to VGA in tems of quality? (i'm not usually clueless on many things, but i am with HDMI)

2) I'm making this assumption, so please let me know if you agree here:

Using the VGA adapter on a pc monitor in 1280*720(or 1280*768) would give the best possible output available, basically anywhere. Would you agree here, or is component the equal of VGA. (many folks debate this over and over, still)

I'm making a logical assumption that the combination of VGA quality, no blurring and accurate colors, would make give this connection the best overall picture quality, gaming wise. Do you agree here?

The XBR360 is as close i have seen to VGA quality for a CRT HDTV, but that Samsung LCD w/VGA connection, seemed sharper(or maybe i need to mess with the XBR960 settings more?), when displaying the 360, but it had so many other issues that that one advantage is basically wasted.

(This is all forgetting screen size , of course.)

My quessing would be these are the top connection at/below 34":

1)VGA --> pc monitor using the VGA adapter in 720p. (but realistically for console gaming, you would need a good size pc monitor, one at least 20 inches or higher)

2)XBR960(or the best CRT HDTV's in general) using HD component cables of the 360, with the 360's output set to eithier 720p or 1080i.

3)LCD's using VGA connections set to 720p.

I know this is a pretty broad question. But for $1499.99 will the XBR 960 provide me the best PQ for the money? I will be viewing from about 7-8 feet tops and I am in now way bothered by the heavy and bulky form factor. All I care about is crisp HD viewing.

For example I saw the Sony 42'' Grand Wega Projection (KDF-E42A10) selling for an extra $100 on the same site and so I got to thinking if possibly I could get more value for the money? Any and all opinions would be greatly appreciated.

- Ryan

I know this is a pretty broad question. But for $1499.99 will the XBR 960 provide me the best PQ for the money? I will be viewing from about 7-8 feet tops and I am in now way bothered by the heavy and bulky form factor. All I care about is crisp HD viewing.

For example I saw the Sony 42'' Grand Wega Projection (KDF-E42A10) selling for an extra $100 on the same site and so I got to thinking if possibly I could get more value for the money? Any and all opinions would be greatly appreciated.

- Ryan

Many here are probably alot more experienced then i am(but i still know my stuff about HDTV's), however i spent many days in B.Buy and C.City comparing nearly every HDTV from 42" and below, and for me the XBR960 gave the best picture quality, as it was so obvious during the ESPN sunday night game, as looking at each HDTV set ..in every type of set(DLP,CRT, LCD..ect), the XBR960 clearly had the best HDTV picture quality.

And when SDTV was being shown, it was clearly sharper then all the other 34"/30" HDTV's right next to it, so much so it became a no brainer, this HDTV had the best PQ i ever saw.

Note: I only looked at the 42" and below sets, as that's what i was looking to buy.

I know this is a pretty broad question. But for $1499.99 will the XBR 960 provide me the best PQ for the money?
- Ryan

YES.

I just got my 960 ISF calibrated today by Chad B (HDTVbyChadB.com). He was very proficient at his work, professional, and spent plenty of time answering questions, and reviewing with me what was done to the set. Armed with a little knowledge from the forum, I had no problems understanding the final report at the end.

I haven't had the time yet for "critical viewing", but initial impressions are good. Is there a "night and day" difference? No. Is there satisfaction and peace of mind that comes with knowing that I am extracting all of the potential out of the set with proper calibration? Absolutely.

I'd highly recommend his services to anybody here in his coverage area (see his website).

My XBR960 has problems. Manuf date 04/05. I have searched many forums and no one seems to have the problem I have. My picture looks like a pattern you would see in carpeting. The audio is fine, video is scrambled on all inputs. Sony sent a tech out and they said, yes it is broke. They had a conference call with Sony tech support and supposedly are ordering a "B Y Board"?? Anyone know what this is and do you think it will fix my problem? I can't post a pic or link to a pic of the display but just imagine carpeting pattern in a corporate office. ;)

My XBR960 has problems. Manuf date 04/05. I have searched many forums and no one seems to have the problem I have. My picture looks like a pattern you would see in carpeting. The audio is fine, video is scrambled on all inputs. Sony sent a tech out and they said, yes it is broke. They had a conference call with Sony tech support and supposedly are ordering a "B Y Board"?? Anyone know what this is and do you think it will fix my problem? I can't post a pic or link to a pic of the display but just imagine carpeting pattern in a corporate office. ;)


Is the carpet pattern overlaid on a recognizable picture, or is it truly just a collection of random colors?

There is definitely a picture in there. It seems to be about 30 or 40 repeated compressed images.

There is definitely a picture in there. It seems to be about 30 or 40 repeated compressed images.


Guess it's a different problem than mine. Mine is the full picture overlaid by an interference pattern of wavy lines and snow. Happens each time I power on after the set has been off for at least several hours. Hope the new board solves the problem. The set is really a good one (without the problems!) Good luck, and Happy Holidays!

Billy Bags products (not cheap, but excellent).

For example, here's a 360o swivel-top table that's 40" wide, 30" high, 21" deep, and can support 300lbs. Billy Bags #4020-3 TV table with component shelves (http://www.billybags.com/S-4020-3.html)

I've got my XBR960 in my bedroom sitting on a custom Billy Bags "low-boy" rack that I designed and had them build for me: 48" wide, 24" to the top surface of faux granite, contains shelf space for 6 components, 6 legs (for added support in the middle) with 1" isolation point feet.

Billy Bags is very well known for all kinds of racks. Not cheap, but excellent.Stock product TV stand selection (http://www.billybags.com/selection.html#tvstands)

Thanks D,

They are just a little out of my price range, which is $500ish.

Anything else??

Help me out plz!

What is the actual "footprint" dimensions of this set?

Is the actual footprint 23 7/8z" inch or is it less????


Thank You in advance for any help!

(I'm still on my search for a Bedroom stand!)

A few months ago I made a swivel platform for my soon-to-arrive XBR90. It occurs to me that placing this "in the public domain" as they say, might be of help to other folks at some time in the future. And it allows me to pay back some of the karma received when asking a zillion questions here prior to my purchase of the TV. :)

Attached to this message are several photos of the finshed product and a PDF to use as a guide for cutting the plywood. The "measured drawing" is based on (and contains) a photo of the bottom of the TV that is on Sony's website.

Download actual size TV Platform "Measured Drawing" PDF Here (505 KB) (http://windinthetrees.com/TV_Platform/TV_Platform_Plans.pdf)

Materials List:

2' x 4' pre-cut piece plywood from Lowes: I used 3/4" which works OK, but just OK; if Lowes or Home Depot had 1", I would have used that and been happier.

12" "lazy susan" circular bearing assembly (about $9.50 at Lowes); weight capacity for this size assembly exceeds 1,000 pounds.

Duck Tape for taping cut lines to eliminate splintering.


Directions:

Cut plywood down from 48" to 39". Use duct tape on both sides of wood to eliminate splintering.

Cut plywood down from 24" to 22". Use duct tape on both sides of wood to eliminate splintering.

Mark plywood for cutting according to measurements of attached PDF.

Firmly apply duck tape to cut lines on both sides of plywood to eliminate splintering.

Re-mark cut lines over tape so you can see where to cut! :)

Cut wood.

Remove tape and sand edges.

Paint accordingly.

Lubricate the bearings in the ring assembly -- I used spray silicon because it is a "dry" lubrication.

Place 12" ring bearing down on surface on which you will be placing the platform. When the platform is set on top of the ring bearing (centered betwen the left and right edges of the platform), have the front edge of the bearing ring about 3/4" back from the front of the platform. This location centers the weight of the TV pretty close to the center of the 12" bearing assembly for good balance and smooth operation.

Place TV on top of platform; it will fit perfectly.

I can swivel the TV with light pressure from one finger.

http://www.windinthetrees.com/TV_Platform/IMG_3810b.jpg
.
http://www.windinthetrees.com/TV_Platform/IMG_3819b.jpg
.
http://www.windinthetrees.com/TV_Platform/IMG_3828a.jpg

My XBR960 has problems. Manuf date 04/05. I have searched many forums and no one seems to have the problem I have. My picture looks like a pattern you would see in carpeting. The audio is fine, video is scrambled on all inputs. Sony sent a tech out and they said, yes it is broke. They had a conference call with Sony tech support and supposedly are ordering a "B Y Board"?? Anyone know what this is and do you think it will fix my problem? I can't post a pic or link to a pic of the display but just imagine carpeting pattern in a corporate office. ;)
Hey Mav, my 960's manufacture date is also 04/05. I've noticed heavy pixelation and "scrambling" at times around fast moving objects, or quick video transitions. I've been told that it is a source issue, but I notice this on all inputs as well. I've also been told this is normal mpeg artifacting. If you at all possible could describe your problem in even more detail that would be great, because I have a tech coming out, and I would like to see if he or she thinks that I may be having a similar issue with the "B Y Board" or whatever.

I know this is a pretty broad question. But for $1499.99 will the XBR 960 provide me the best PQ for the money? I will be viewing from about 7-8 feet tops and I am in now way bothered by the heavy and bulky form factor. All I care about is crisp HD viewing.

For example I saw the Sony 42'' Grand Wega Projection (KDF-E42A10) selling for an extra $100 on the same site and so I got to thinking if possibly I could get more value for the money? Any and all opinions would be greatly appreciated.

- Ryan

Hi Ryan,

The 960 is the best HD set available - plasma, LCD, etc. Instead of basing your final decision on what us owners might say, search the internet for professional reviews. You will find near-unanimous agreement that the 960 is the finest on the market.

Now that my cateract was removed I appreciate the picture quality even more. Felt I was at MSG watching the Knicks blown out once more or the Nassau Coliseum with the Islanders playing the Devils. Football under the lights is unbelievable. Baseball was superb, even with my vision being affected by the cateract (I did spend lots of time watching through my good eye)

Some on this forum unfortunately experienced problems requiring service and even replacment, however, that could occur with any piece of equipment - this set comes with a two year in house warranty. Haven't found any others with the same protection.

Hi all,

anybody here using the 960 as a monitor for HTPC? I'm convinced that this set offers tremendous picture quality for the $$, but I wonder how well it performs for HTPC.

My primary application would be sending ATSC signals via a SageTV interface over HDMI, so I would guess that it would work pretty well. I'm not really going to be surfing or emailing or anything (I recognize that the interlaced signal is not the greatest for reading text.)

Just wondering how much more complicated it is to use CRT for HTPC vs. fixed pixel display. I have a Sammy DLP connected to HTPC and this works fantastic--am I going to be in for a world of hurt if I try to do the same with the 960?

TIA,

Dave

P.S. Ok, I just saw the "960 as HTPC monitor thread" over in the HTPC forum. Seems like DVI/HDMI connection can be problematic, but doable.

anybody here using the 960 as a monitor for HTPC? I'm convinced that this set offers tremendous picture quality for the $$, but I wonder how well it performs for HTPC.

My primary application would be sending ATSC signals via a SageTV interface over HDMI, so I would guess that it would work pretty well. I'm not really going to be surfing or emailing or anything (I recognize that the interlaced signal is not the greatest for reading text.)


I have the smaller XS955 model and
it works great via HDMI and for 10 foot interfaces like SageTV

you can web surf on it but normally 480p is the only usable/readable resolution
and 480p is 4:3

also another thing you should try is using your HTPC as a DVD player
DVDs look amazing upscaled from a HTPC

DI-TECH1, my picture is always scrambled. It is not intermittent.Click here (http://images.snapfish.com/345848743%7Ffp336%3Enu%3D326%3A%3E479%3E79%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D323 33%3A8668376nu0mrj)

kny3twalker,

what resolution are you sending your set from your video card? Clearly, the set can do scaling internally, and I know that there's not really a "native resolution" as there is for fixed pixel. That's one of the things I'm concerned about--I'm hoping not to have to deal with powerstrip, etc, etc...

Glad to hear that it does look really good, though.

I'm actually thinking about the XS955 over the XBR. I'm not really seeing too much difference besides some iLink ports that I probably won't use, and an anti-glare coating that has apparently been removed in the 960N. I suppose others might disagree, but just for the fundamental technology alone, seems like the XS955 is the better value.

Thanks,
Dave

My XBR960 has problems. Manuf date 04/05. I have searched many forums and no one seems to have the problem I have. My picture looks like a pattern you would see in carpeting. The audio is fine, video is scrambled on all inputs. Sony sent a tech out and they said, yes it is broke. They had a conference call with Sony tech support and supposedly are ordering a "B Y Board"?? Anyone know what this is and do you think it will fix my problem? I can't post a pic or link to a pic of the display but just imagine carpeting pattern in a corporate office. ;)


I'm afraid I can't help much, but... I presume they mean "B-Y." Component video can be described as Y (luminous) R-Y, and B-Y (red minus luminous, blue minus luminous.) It's how analog video is encoded and decoded. So I presume he's talking about an analog processing board.

Mark

what resolution are you sending your set from your video card? Clearly, the set can do scaling internally, and I know that there's not really a "native resolution" as there is for fixed pixel. That's one of the things I'm concerned about--I'm hoping not to have to deal with powerstrip, etc, etc...

I just set my video card drivers to 1080i resolution
its all built into the newer drivers from both ATI and nvidia
although my card is a nvidia (6800)

there is overscan but apps like SAgeTV and MCE 2005 have overscan adjust to fi thte menus and such to your TV
I do not use the underscanning in the video card drivers to to underscan the outputted resolution

and the XS/XBR can display 480p and 1080i as well as 960i from a 480i source


I'm actually thinking about the XS955 over the XBR. I'm not really seeing too much difference besides some iLink ports that I probably won't use, and an anti-glare coating that has apparently been removed in the 960N. I suppose others might disagree, but just for the fundamental technology alone, seems like the XS955 is the better value.

the XS955 has a N model for the 34" just not the 30"

Is there satisfaction and peace of mind that comes with knowing that I am extracting all of the potential out of the set with proper calibration? Absolutely.


I agree. I'm finally taking the ISF plunge and I have an appt. for next week. :D

The XBR960 is listed as being 39 1/4" wide. Can I trust that measurement? My cabinet opening is 39 1/2". A tighter tolerance than I'd like but it will look like a custom fit if I can get the thing in there.

I agree. I'm finally taking the ISF plunge and I have an appt. for next week. :D

If you don't mind me asking, who did you go with? I would probably spring for one myself, but I can't find anyone reputable here in So. Jersey/Philly.

If you don't mind me asking, who did you go with? I would probably spring for one myself, but I can't find anyone reputable here in So. Jersey/Philly.

Pulled this guy off the ISF web page. I have no idea if he is good or not.

http://www.techlogic.us/

You may want to ask in this thread for recommendations.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=182983

I thought I was being clever and purchased my Avia DVD on Ebay for about $26. I bought from a seller in my own State thinking it would be here in a few days....17 days later I am still waiting....turns out he mailed it MEDIA MAIL( or so he says) ....at Christmas time!!.... anyway if you go the same route I do be careful what method the dvd is being shipped...especially if you are looking for instant gratification....I don't remember seeing an option as to different ways to ship....

The XBR960 is listed as being 39 1/4" wide. Can I trust that measurement? My cabinet opening is 39 1/2". A tighter tolerance than I'd like but it will look like a custom fit if I can get the thing in there.It is possible that the XBR960N is a different size, but the cabinet width at the front of my plain ol' XBR960 purchased in September is, as of two minutes ago (but you know how "widths" can change around the holidays), rounding up to the nearest 1/16", 38 15/16" wide.

Don't make me take out the micrometer ...

I thought I was being clever and purchased my Avia DVD on Ebay for about $26. I bought from a seller in my own State thinking it would be here in a few days....17 days later I am still waiting....turns out he mailed it MEDIA MAIL( or so he says) ....at Christmas time!!.... anyway if you go the same route I do be careful what method the dvd is being shipped...especially if you are looking for instant gratification....I don't remember seeing an option as to different ways to ship....

Avia brand new costs about the same from places like Amazon. Why in the world did you even do this?

You won't see that thing for weeks and I wouldn't place any bets on its condition when it arrives.

pricegrabber listing for new AVIA discs

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=109179001/search=AVIA+DVD

Amazon selling through OneCall was 36
going directly to OneCall was 33

I thought I was being clever and purchased my Avia DVD on Ebay for about $26. I bought from a seller in my own State thinking it would be here in a few days....17 days later I am still waiting....turns out he mailed it MEDIA MAIL( or so he says) ....at Christmas time!!.... anyway if you go the same route I do be careful what method the dvd is being shipped...especially if you are looking for instant gratification....I don't remember seeing an option as to different ways to ship....

Okay ..I just reviewed the sale...it wasn't ebay...but a private seller on Amazon... the cost was $29.95 and the shipping said "standard shipping"......
So when I purchased the item I felt I was making a decent decision....

Pulled this guy off the ISF web page. I have no idea if he is good or not.

http://www.techlogic.us/

You may want to ask in this thread for recommendations.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=182983

Thanks for the tip. I did notice this guy was recently added to the ISF list, but his website kinda turned me off. A very general explanation of his services on the front page, everything else is "under construction.

Thanks for the you input here, i appreciate it.

I have a few quesions to run by you:

1) That Samsung LCD was probably connected via VGA adapter, making it seem like it had a sharper image quality then the XBR960..when playing on a Xbox360.
However it also had blurryness with fog and other fast action in COD2, and with the King Kong demo, most of that jungle level just appeared strange and unrealistic. Like you said it appeares "fake".

So while using a VGA adpater connection brings in better quaity, that LCD had other issues(even the flesh colors seemed to blend) that made me wonder why anyone would choose it for the HDTV for their 360.

Having said this, Component is not the equal of quality of VGA is, so would you think if the 360 could output(or eventually would) in HDMI, how would this compare to VGA in tems of quality? (i'm not usually clueless on many things, but i am with HDMI)

2) I'm making this assumption, so please let me know if you agree here:

Using the VGA adapter on a pc monitor in 1280*720(or 1280*768) would give the best possible output available, basically anywhere. Would you agree here, or is component the equal of VGA. (many folks debate this over and over, still)

I'm making a logical assumption that the combination of VGA quality, no blurring and accurate colors, would make give this connection the best overall picture quality, gaming wise. Do you agree here?

The XBR360 is as close i have seen to VGA quality for a CRT HDTV, but that Samsung LCD w/VGA connection, seemed sharper(or maybe i need to mess with the XBR960 settings more?), when displaying the 360, but it had so many other issues that that one advantage is basically wasted.

(This is all forgetting screen size , of course.)

My quessing would be these are the top connection at/below 34":

1)VGA --> pc monitor using the VGA adapter in 720p. (but realistically for console gaming, you would need a good size pc monitor, one at least 20 inches or higher)

2)XBR960(or the best CRT HDTV's in general) using HD component cables of the 360, with the 360's output set to eithier 720p or 1080i.

3)LCD's using VGA connections set to 720p.


Philip038, unfortunately I haven't had alot of time the past few days to sit in front on my pc (I wait till the last minute to do xmas shopping hehe) but when I get the chance I'll elvaluate each and every question for you asap.

Briefly skimming over what you said, I can tell you that VGA is the absolute best connection and I can only imagine for ANY display. This is why it "seems" better and more crisp on an LCD. However!!! Since the XBR960 is such a strong hdtv performer, by using a component connection I bet you would be hard pressed to see a diff. Yes, VGA would be nice on the XBR960....but due to the nature of the super fine pitch monitor (like a pc monitor or even LCD in some respect) I believe the VGA would add the "fakeness" and the added grey colors to the jungle. Don't get me wrong it would be beautiful but IMO the vga would put the XBR into the LCD class. Does this make sense?

Basically I feel that we are rather lucky to have a 34" tube tv such as the XBR that looks so realistic with component cables. I wouldn't have it any other way.

As far as HDMI, I nor anyone else would be able to comment on that since nobody has seen Xbox 360 on HDMI. We will have to wait for PS3 to see about that...
You can bet your last dollar that PS3 via HDMI will be FABULOUS on the XBR. So...in summery, don't count out the XBR on account of 360. 1 hdmi connection on the XBR is all we'll ever need (hdmi switchbox) to see THE BEST OF THE BEST for years to come.

I have further proof. Xbox on the LCD via VGA should be a rough estimate as to what to expect from PS3 and Blu-ray dvds in the future. I said "rough" not exact. I could be off, but from what I've seen from component on the XBR...I just don't feel there is ANY WAY an lcd/plasma will hang not now not 2 years from now with the potential of hdmi and xbr960.

I'll discuss further with my real life impressions after xmas.

Briefly skimming over what you said, I can tell you that VGA is the absolute best connection and I can only imagine for ANY display.

uh NO

VGA maybe better than component but HDMI/DVI is better for display microdisplays

Yes, VGA would be nice on the XBR960....but due to the nature of the super fine pitch monitor (like a pc monitor or even LCD in some respect) I believe the VGA would add the "fakeness" and the added grey colors to the jungle. Don't get me wrong it would be beautiful but IMO the vga would put the XBR into the LCD class. Does this make sense?

the reason I would guess that Sony did not include VGA or RGBHV input is because the set cannot display high progressive scan resolutions
which is normally associated with VGA

and VGA from a PC would add more variations of grey simply because the two devices(TV/PC) use difference color spaces
but any CE device with VGA output, would output the correct color space

not sure what you mean by put into the LCD class with VGA input
past CRT HD monitors had VGA input

As far as HDMI, I nor anyone else would be able to comment on that since nobody has seen Xbox 360 on HDMI. We will have to wait for PS3 to see about that...
You can bet your last dollar that PS3 via HDMI will be FABULOUS on the XBR. So...in summery, don't count out the XBR on account of 360. 1 hdmi connection on the XBR is all we'll ever need (hdmi switchbox) to see THE BEST OF THE BEST for years to come.

I have my PC connected via DVI to HDMI which would the equivalent of the PS3 or xbox360 over HDMI (if of course my PC hardware was up to that spec)
and anyways, AFAIK CRT HDTVs do better with analogue component inputs than digital video inputs cause of the internal electronics, DACs and ADCs

I've been looking into finally getting an HDTV for a while and now that I'm getting an xbox 360 i need one now... and from everything I have read this TV is the best out there, picture wise. they are getting pretty har dto find tho since everyone wants plasma/lcd now.

just a few questions.... what is invoice on this TV? My friend has a friend who manages a best buy and I should be able to get one for 5% above cost.

anyone here get a good price on one?

also, I've been reading about the ISF technicians... anyone know of one in the Staten Island, NY area, and how much it usually costs?

also does anyone make a "switchbox" for hd component cables and HDMI.... so u can have more inputs. I have one for the regular red yellow white inputs... but i will probably end up needing one for HD component/HDMI.....

just a few questions.... what is invoice on this TV? My friend has a friend who manages a best buy and I should be able to get one for 5% above cost.


Any price below this one is a move in the right direction.

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=KD34XBR960N&Dept=tvvideo&CategoryName=tv_34%22to36%22TVs

Just shop around. If you have a hook up through BB then take advantage of it.

try the JX-66 its made by JVC and it's unpowered component 3 port switcher. I have one but got a second one as a gift and would sell you mine for 50 plus S&H.

coz i am planning to buy 1

coz i am planning to buy 1

Not only will it drop, but in April you'll be able to wire your check from Uncle Sam straight to Sony and have the set delivered to your door. :)

santodx5 coz i am planning to buy 1

if I could tell you, I concernly would be spending more time investing in the stock market than wasting it replying to this

I'm getting really close to pulling the trigger on the 960N at TVsDepot, where it's priced several hundred dollars under list, and free shipping. Do any of you have any experience with this retailer? I don't want to get burned.

Merry Christmas!
John

I'm getting really close to pulling the trigger on the 960N at TVsDepot, where it's priced several hundred dollars under list, and free shipping. Do any of you have any experience with this retailer? I don't want to get burned.

Merry Christmas!
John


I keep seeing their names come up around here, and I don't believe they are an authorized Sony dealer. I'm not 100 percent sure, though.

What does this mean? It means that Sony may not recognize your warranty whatsoever, so make sure you check out any retailer off of Sony's website or via phone before you proceed.

Don't just take the retailer's word for it, because they'll always say "yes."

I was hesitant to post this here because the thread is so large and wound up posting it in the main forum, but somebody suggested I might getter better results here...

I just got a 34xbr960 and have a few issues that I would really appreciate help with.

1. I had to adjust the tilt and vertical center (+1/+1). Did other people have to do this? My last tv was an old 36xbr400 and I never had a problem like that.

2. When I switch to either hdmi (dvd) or component (ps2) inputs and the unit on the other end is off, then I see a VERY distinct vertical white line about 5" from the left. It seems to go away when I switch on whatever it is that is attached, but does anybody else have this? It is at the left edge of where 4:3 images get displayed in normal mode.

3. When I put my ps2 in 16:9 mode, the image comes out compressed. I have to switch it to full mode on the tv and it terrible because of the fact that it doesn't fill the screen. It leaves like a 1/8" border on the left and 1/4" border on the right that is all fuzzy. Does anybody else have this? Should I try to get into the service menu to fix this?

4. I read some mentions about an offcenter issue with the component inputs but I couldn't find a description of the exact problem. Could somebody please tell me? Is this the issue I am experiencing with the ps2?

5. I am thinking about getting it ISF calibrated? Does anybody on here live in the Las Vegas area that can recommend somebody?

6. When I watch tv in 4:3 in normal mode (with the black bars on the sides), I get what looks like a white fuzzy line on the left side of the image. Is this underscan that can this be fixed through the service menu or is it something else?

I know that this is a lot, especially from a first time poster on here (and I admit that I didn't read all 99 pages of the 34xbr960 post) but I did try searching and couldn't find answers. Please help.

^^


Everyone already saw this, don't worry. You didn't needn't repeat it all again.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=621267

If you don't mind me asking, who did you go with? I would probably spring for one myself, but I can't find anyone reputable here in So. Jersey/Philly.

I went with one of the people from the ISF site, near my home. I'm going to hold off on mentioning their name until I have the calibration done. In the very unlikely event that I am unsatisfied, I wouldn't want to tarnish someone's reputation. I will post to this thread with my impression of the process and results though. Really looking forward to finally doing this. I procrastinated for far too long.

Ladd - nice work! Love the idea of a swivel for this set. Really professional looking setup.

Merry Christmas All http://img75.exs.cx/img75/2594/crazy2sg.gif

Ladd - nice work! Love the idea of a swivel for this set. Really professional looking setupThanks for the compliment -- a nice Christmas Eve present.
http://www.windinthetrees.com/xmas.GIF

I finally purchased the fabled KD 34-XBR960N about a week ago from the SonyStyle website (after many, many months of research and deliberation), and this weekend I've been watching some NFL games in HD, and the picture quality on this TV is almost beyond belief. All I can say is...WOW. I knew this TV was the best CRT on the market, but when I saw my first game in high-def, it totally blew me away. I seriously can't imagine any other TV having a better picture than this. The colors, the crispness, the sharpness, the detail, the clarity (referring to an HD picture, of course), it's really quite amazing.

If anybody out there is on the fence, and undecided about what kind of HDTV to get, if this TV's within your price range, I would recommend this to anybody. I believe Sony stops manufacturing these TV's after 2008, so we probably won't see a TV quite like this ever again. I've also been playing some PS2 and Xbox 1 (hooked up to the TV with component cables), and a game like Half-Life 2 for the Xbox looks phenomenal. I can't wait to see what the Xbox360 is going to look like.

All in all, I'm extremely satisfied with my purchase. The ordering process on Sony's website, as well as their free in-home delivery, was superb. I waited (and saved my money) for about 9 months to buy an HDTV, and I'm very happy with this purchase. So far, there have been ZERO problems with this TV. I can't recommend it enough.

I'm getting really close to pulling the trigger on the 960N at TVsDepot, where it's priced several hundred dollars under list, and free shipping. Do any of you have any experience with this retailer? I don't want to get burned.

Merry Christmas!
John


I don't have any experience with that retailer in particular, but when I initially ordered my XBR960N, it was through a different, but very small internet retailer (who shall remain nameless), and my experience with them was really mixed. My experience was both very good, and very bad. I ultimately ended up ordering the TV online from SonyStyle directly. Let me explain.

Before I ordered the TV, I emailed this small internet retailer, and asked them if a white glove delivery option was available. Their website only listed a standard, curbside delivery option, and nothing else. They emailed me back and said a white glove delivery could be arranged, but it would cost about $135 more. I thought okay, but I was wondering how would this be arranged? There was no explanation about how to arrange an inside delivery. That was my first clue that maybe ordering from this company wasn't such a good idea. I thought, well, I'll work out something with the delivery truck when it gets here. So I went ahead and ordered the TV from their website. I noticed during the ordering process, that an inside delivery was not an option, either. So I was wondering how would an inside delivery be arranged? I started to get concerned, but went ahead anyway.

At the time I ordered the TV, they only had one left in stock. The day after I ordered the TV, a rep from the company called me to confirm my order. I called them back that evening and confirmed the order. I emailed them as well confirming the order, and they emailed me back the next day saying the order was processed, and the TV would be shipped out in 24-48 hours. So far, so good. I waited several more days, but never received any shipping info. I called them and they said they would provide me with the shipping info in a day or two, so I waited a few more days, but I received nothing.

I called the company again, and was told that the last item they had in stock, was an open box item, and because it's against their policy to ship anything but factory sealed merchandise, they couldn't ship that item. I thought to myself that's good that they didn't try to ship me an opened item, but what about the TV I ordered? Well, I was told the TV had shipped out, which was a complete lie. They were out of stock and had no more TV's to ship, but I was told that the TV had shipped out. It was at this point that I started to panic somewhat.

I checked the company's website, and it clearly indicated they were out of stock. Just to make sure, I called the freight company they use to ship the TV, and after they made a pretty thorough search, they said no order had been entered with them to ship anything to my address. Now, this company's stated policy is to notify the customer if an item is out of strock at the time the order is processed. Then the customer is supposed to be given an option of waiting until the item is in stock, or get a refund. I was never notified or presented with any options, but instead was totally lied to.

I called the company back and told them the TV was out of stock, I wanted to cancel the order, and wanted my credit card refunded back. To their credit, they immediately refunded my credit card right at that time, and the next day it showed up on my card as a refund. They also faxed me confirmation that day of the refund, as well. At this point, I breathed a huge sigh of relief, and felt like I had just dodged a major bullet. Once I saw that my credit card had been refunded, I ordered the TV from SonyStyle directly, and the experience with Sony was phenomenal.

I ordered the TV online from Sony on a Sunday afternoon, it shipped the next day on Monday, and the TV arrived in Minneapolis (where I live) on the day they said it would, and two men brought the TV inside the apartment, put it in the room I wanted, and put it on the TV stand, and removed the box and all shipping debris, FOR FREE. This in-home delivery does not cost a penny! Normally they would plug in the TV as well to make sure it works, but because the TV was delivered on a very cold day, the guy recommended I wait at least an hour before I plug in the TV, so it could warm up. I examined the TV, and there wasn't a scratch anywhere on it that I could see. I signed the papers, and away they went.

This entire delivery was done in 5-10 minutes. I live on the ground floor, so they didn't have to contend with any stairs. But the point is that they were fast, efficient, and professional. Sony kept me well informed during the entire process. I knew exactly where the TV was during the process, and I never had any questions about anything. There was never any ambiguity about whether or not it was in stock, what kind of delivery it would be, how much I would be charged, etc.

My advice is DO NOT order this TV from anybody but Sony, or the most well known and respected retailers like Best Buy, Circuit City, etc. If you're going to make a major purchase, and spend $1,500 - $2,000 on a piece of electronics such as this TV, this is not something you want to leave to chance, or take risks with, or play games with. I was initially willing to throw the dice and take a chance with an relatively unknown online reseller (even though they were CNET certified with a supposed 5 star rating), because I wanted to save a few hundred dollars on the deal.

Believe me, this TV is worth the MSRP, and any deal with these unknown resellers can go south real quick. Its not worth the stress, aggravation, and anguish that this can cause. If you buy this TV from Sony (which, by the way, is about the only place where I could find the TV in stock), there are no guessing games to deal with, no mysteries to explore, and they have the free in-home delivery, which can't be beat. This is a very heavy TV, so let the professionals handle it, because if they drop it or break it, it's on them, not you.

Sorry for the long post, but I hope people take my advice and read about my experience, because I don't want something like this to happen to anybody else. It was way too stressful and agonizing. Save yourself the hassles, and don't waste your time with anybody but the best in the business.

I believe Crutchfield has them in stock
they also are known for their great service, support, true authorized sony dealer etc...

I have ordered from both them and directly from sonystyle
both gave top notch service and customer care

as far as who was the online store, who was it?

it is important you inform the others members so no one else makes the same mistake

thanks

DI-TECH1, my picture is always scrambled. It is not intermittent.Click here (http://images.snapfish.com/345848743%7Ffp336%3Enu%3D326%3A%3E479%3E79%3A%3EWSNRCG%3D323 33%3A8668376nu0mrj)
Technician came out and replaced the B-Y Board, no joy. He said next they will try the "Q Box". If I have no HDTV over new years, that will not be good.
They will try to get the Q Box replaced by Friday. :confused:

Question for Q of Banditz,

You see to know alot about this display so I turn to you for this one...

I've had this tv for a couple weeks now and for the life of me I can't seem to get it bright enough for my liking. I also have a Pioneer Plasma and am used to the brightness on that display. But, I didn't get this set to be like the plasma... I got it for the bedroom and the superior black level detail.

Well, so far the blacks have been perfect but the detail is down because it is too black. Does this make sense? I haven't tried Avia or VE yet but usually I can tweak it pretty good with my eyes. I have it set to pro and monitor and then go from there. I can't come up with a solution for DVD and hdtv watching that is both great black detail and bright enough for my liking.

So....my ultimate question for you is if I get someone to ISF calibrate my set (tweeter gave me a $150 estimate) will it be too dark for my liking (if I'm unsatisfied now).

Oh I should also mention I'm using component cable for DVD and hdtv as I haven't yet acquired an HDMI cable.


ps- thanks q of banditz for any help as I have followed this forum since the beginning and I have enjoyed your posts and knowledge I have grown in reading them.

Question for Q of Banditz,

You see to know alot about this display so I turn to you for this one...

I've had this tv for a couple weeks now and for the life of me I can't seem to get it bright enough for my liking. I also have a Pioneer Plasma and am used to the brightness on that display. But, I didn't get this set to be like the plasma... I got it for the bedroom and the superior black level detail.

Well, so far the blacks have been perfect but the detail is down because it is too black. Does this make sense?

Yup! That's exactly the way it felt to me before my ISF job.


I haven't tried Avia or VE yet but usually I can tweak it pretty good with my eyes. I have it set to pro and monitor and then go from there. I can't come up with a solution for DVD and hdtv watching that is both great black detail and bright enough for my liking.

So....my ultimate question for you is if I get someone to ISF calibrate my set (tweeter gave me a $150 estimate) will it be too dark for my liking (if I'm unsatisfied now).

Simply put: No. ;)

I was having the same problem before my ISF job. Constantly fiddling with contrast and brightness and never getting it to where I was satisfied. A couple of weeks of that routine and I knew I had to get the ISF job done. I was going nuts!

Post ISF, I never even think about reaching for the remote one time.

It's a real night and day difference for this set after an ISF job.

ISF testimonial: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=561596



Oh I should also mention I'm using component cable for DVD and hdtv as I haven't yet acquired an HDMI cable.

Get your DVD player over HDMI ASAP. It's worth it

Post ISF, both component and HDMI sources will look great, so don't let this trouble you in any regard.


A qualified ISF person will not leave until you are satisfied with what you see. $150 is a steal for an ISF job, if you're sure about that price and its source.

$225, give or take, is the usual SRP that an ISF job costs, so I'm not sure $150 gets you. Make sure of what you're getting into before you commit.

Spend a little time here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=139

Hi every one I just purchesed this set on Saterday and so far i am very pleased but I do have a few minor problems. One is that I can't find a list of settings that shows optimum viewing for this set as in picture 43 brightness: 50 ect. Please share with me what you use. I posted this concern in the calibration section but have had no response. the second problem is that I also got an Xbox 360 on saterday and when playing Perfect Dark Zero it can be very hard to see at times do to the tv showing some places in the game to be very dark. I am sure that these places should be dark but not so much that you cannot see the enemy. Please help me if you can and thank you in advance.

Hi folks, long time lurker but first time poster. :cool:

I just had to comment on my purchase recently on this big bad boy the 960. Like most folks I had the dilemma of going PQ over size. My friend has a Samsung 50 inch and the HD is good but the regular cable sucks big time so this helped make my decision a little easier. I went back and forth for about 4 months (while I sold used dvds on Ebay to help pay for this thing..no really I did) and finally took the plunge and all I can say is WOW. Wowwsie-wowwsie-wow-wow... :eek: as Christopher Walken would say. The picture is amazing like everyone rants about. I live in Houston and have Time Warner digital cable HD package and HD Net is always incredible. My wife couldn't believe I was paying this much for a tv but she is for sure coming around now. Kinda sucks because before she would watch her shows in the bedroom which left my shows for the living room but now I have to watch (shudder thinking about it) Watching Jordan in HD :mad: . HD still doesn't improve this show btw. Anyway, just wanted to say whoever is thinking of pulling the trigger please do not hesitate.

I bought mine from Circuit City for $1,800 but that was for the tv (opened box but they still treat as new), extended 3 yr warrantee, stand and delivery. I bought a cheap $13 dollar HDMI cable from Radio Shack and the picture is great. The cables are discontinued so if you want one call one NOW and have them look in their system on which store still has one. They also had optic cable for $6 dollar too in case you need one. My HDMI cable was the last one at the store on 34th Street. Christmas I bought the Sony-70V upscale player as a Xmas gift to myself. Merry Christmas Krychekxf!! :D I can only hope heaven is this clear... My surround sound is Yamaha (excellent). I really never want to leave my place again. My next thing to buy is a ISF calibration (a few more dvds down the road). I went into the service menu and adjusted the what not's following Ken's thread from waaaaaaaaaaaaay back and it helped tremendously with the reds but still would like to see what a professional job looks like. Anyway, sorry folks about the rants and such but to sum this up...If you can afford it...BUY IT! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT! I'M HAPPY AS A LARK (whatever a lark is?)! Only regret is I didn't buy this sooner......and I wished it had two hdmi slots but I'm not hating. :D

Hi every one I just purchesed this set on Saterday and so far i am very pleased but I do have a few minor problems. One is that I can't find a list of settings that shows optimum viewing for this set as in picture 43 brightness: 50 ect. Please share with me what you use. I posted this concern in the calibration section but have had no response. the second problem is that I also got an Xbox 360 on saterday and when playing Perfect Dark Zero it can be very hard to see at times do to the tv showing some places in the game to be very dark. I am sure that these places should be dark but not so much that you cannot see the enemy. Please help me if you can and thank you in advance.

tjpark1111 will gladly share his settings with you. I'm sure he'll post them shortly to help you out. ;)

Hi folks, long time lurker but first time poster. :cool:

I just had to comment on my purchase recently on this big bad boy the 960. Like most folks I had the dilemma of going PQ over size. My friend has a Samsung 50 inch and the HD is good but the regular cable sucks big time so this helped make my decision a little easier. I went back and forth for about 4 months (while I sold used dvds on Ebay to help pay for this thing..no really I did) and finally took the plunge and all I can say is WOW. Wowwsie-wowwsie-wow-wow... :eek: as Christopher Walken would say. The picture is amazing like everyone rants about. I live in Houston and have Time Warner digital cable HD package and HD Net is always incredible. My wife couldn't believe I was paying this much for a tv but she is for sure coming around now. Kinda sucks because before she would watch her shows in the bedroom which left my shows for the living room but now I have to watch (shudder thinking about it) Watching Jordan in HD :mad: . HD still doesn't improve this show btw. Anyway, just wanted to say whoever is thinking of pulling the trigger please do not hesitate.

I bought mine from Circuit City for $1,800 but that was for the tv (opened box but they still treat as new), extended 3 yr warrantee, stand and delivery. I bought a cheap $13 dollar HDMI cable from Radio Shack and the picture is great. The cables are discontinued so if you want one call one NOW and have them look in their system on which store still has one. They also had optic cable for $6 dollar too in case you need one. My HDMI cable was the last one at the store on 34th Street. Christmas I bought the Sony-70V upscale player as a Xmas gift to myself. Merry Christmas Krychekxf!! :D I can only hope heaven is this clear... My surround sound is Yamaha (excellent). I really never want to leave my place again. My next thing to buy is a ISF calibration (a few more dvds down the road). I went into the service menu and adjusted the what not's following Ken's thread from waaaaaaaaaaaaay back and it helped tremendously with the reds but still would like to see what a professional job looks like. Anyway, sorry folks about the rants and such but to sum this up...If you can afford it...BUY IT! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT! I'M HAPPY AS A LARK (whatever a lark is?)! Only regret is I didn't buy this sooner......and I wished it had two hdmi slots but I'm not hating. :D

Congrats on your new toy! I don't think there is any set on the market that can touch it. In fact, I was skimming through a magazine dedicated to HD and saw the 960 as one of the ten most popular sets sold the past year. It also had a rating of 8.1, highest of any of those ten listed.

My first reaction was like your's but I was lucky to experience it twice! Of course it was my luck to get the 960 as my caterat matured and began affecting my vision. I could still tell it had a superb picture. Anyway, the caterat was removed last week and my vision became 20-20. After 24 hours I was able to remove the patch over the eye and view the 960 for the first time with perfect vision. My eyeball almost popped out! It was a mind-boggling experience just like the day it first arrived. Dejevu can be cool! And, I didn't need to make any further adjustments.

The moral of this story: 960 owners must have their eyes checked on a regular basis - good eyesight is as important as a properly tweaked set so to experience its full glory.

I believe Crutchfield has them in stock
they also are known for their great service, support, true authorized sony dealer etc...

I have ordered from both them and directly from sonystyle
both gave top notch service and customer care

as far as who was the online store, who was it?

it is important you inform the others members so no one else makes the same mistake

thanks

I was afraid to mention the name of the online merchant because I didn't want to make it look like I was smearing them. The name of the reseller was Palm Beach Electronics. In the end, they did the right thing, but I could never get a straight answer out of them, and I felt like they were stringing me along so they wouldn't lose the sale. One good thing I can say though, is once I informed them I wanted to cancel the order, they processed the refund right after I made that call, which I do respect. But on the other hand, telling me the TV shipped when it really hadn't, telling me they didn't know if they even had the TV in stock, etc, was totally ridiculous.

What's the consensus on purchasing a XBR960 display model? I know of one for around $1300 OTD that's been a floor model with about ~ 6 months display time... Jan 2005 build date. I did look at the set and convergence, color purity, geometry all seemed pretty good... not perfect but I wasn't sure exactly how "perfect" I should expect it to be. Worth the while or not?

I really want to pick up one of these sets in the next month or less....

oh yeah!

oh yeah!

Oh no!


What's the consensus on purchasing a XBR960 display model? I know of one for around $1300 OTD that's been a floor model with about ~ 6 months display time... Jan 2005 build date. I did look at the set and convergence, color purity, geometry all seemed pretty good... not perfect but I wasn't sure exactly how "perfect" I should expect it to be. Worth the while or not?

I really want to pick up one of these sets in the next month or less....

Don't do it.

No, you don't buy a 6 month burned in floor model! Never! Just think about how many people have touched it, messed around with it, and how many hours it's been burned in torch mode for the last 6 months.

Hi,
just thought I would add my experience on my SONY XBR 960.
I bought mine through Crutchfield one year ago.
Since that time I have used calibration cd's and gone into the service mode.
I had a SONY service 'rep' come out to take a look a the small screw ups I did.
He checked it out and then said something was wrong with the screen and he would have to ordre a 400 dollar part but would put it under waranty.
After he left I went back into the service mode, moved a few numbers...asked some questions on here, and my TV is working fine again.
SO, the service guy messed up!...so much for SONY reps!!
I am waiting to hear back from a "trained" ISF calibrator!!

Hi,
just thought I would add my experience on my SONY XBR 960.
I bought mine through Crutchfield one year ago.
Since that time I have used calibration cd's and gone into the service mode.
I had a SONY service 'rep' come out to take a look a the small screw ups I did.
He checked it out and then said something was wrong with the screen and he would have to ordre a 400 dollar part but would put it under waranty.
After he left I went back into the service mode, moved a few numbers...asked some questions on here, and my TV is working fine again.
SO, the service guy messed up!...so much for SONY reps!!
I am waiting to hear back from a "trained" ISF calibrator!!

That's the kind of episode that made me immediately not even consider calling a Sony tech and going straight to where it can get done right, no questions asked: ISF.

Oh, and I might add....I called the so called sony rep back, told him the pic was fine and that I had a friend move some numbers. He then asked me which ones! He did NOT know......can you imagine?

This TV, oh my god, oh my god. Awesome, especially after ISF calibration.

Now forgive me for stating the obvious but you CAN PLUG YOUR COMPUTER INTO THIS PUPPY. May Mac laptop, is fine but needs more RAM, but already has the plugs.

Downloaded some video from iTunes, set the TV in 640 x 480 mode, and played it fine. Got a cheap 10 foot DVI to HDMI cable online, plus stereo plugs.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009ST7EI/002-4404312-2944060?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=172282
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000068O33/sr=1-2/qid=1135788287/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-4404312-2944060?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Now can download HD trailers, shorts, everything, even BBC video streams (kind of blocky but still) and play them on the TV, not squinting at a tiny window.

Many HD ********** downloads if you want to go there...

Also, to remind you all - YOU CAN RECORD HD OFF THIS PUPPY. It sends the ATSC tuner transport stream out the iLink port. Need a 4 pin to 6 pin Firewire cable to plug it into the Mac, and the Virtual DVHS software from the Apple Firewire SDK

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000067SO8/ref=wl_it_dp/002-4404312-2944060?%5Fencoding=UTF8&colid=3TLWF7U2VEBEW&coliid=I21KB2M58NT52R&v=glance&n=172282
http://developer.apple.com/sdk/#FireWireX

Rule of thumb HD is about 9 gigs per hour, so you may need another drive.

And finally, again, restating the obvious - this means you can get HD test patterns to calibrate yourself if you so choose. From another AVS Forum thread, test patterns and an application to play them back:

http://www.w6rz.net/
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Just when you thought it couldn't get any better...I'll update when I have hooked a PC up, meanwhile check the HTPC threads.

I'm very interested in copying HD content to a PC hard drive from my 960 iLink port for playback on my 960, but I know nothing about what software is needed on a PC. I've read some over at the HTPC forum but it's data overload. still reading.

I'm very interested in copying HD content to a PC hard drive from my 960 iLink port for playback on my 960, but I know nothing about what software is needed on a PC. I've read some over at the HTPC forum but it's data overload. still reading.

http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=CapDVHS

No, you don't buy a 6 month burned in floor model! Never! Just think about how many people have touched it, messed around with it, and how many hours it's been burned in torch mode for the last 6 months.

I have thought of these things and was hoping for a more specific answer. Can these televisions not take that kind of abuse? In my experience, a well-designed CRT should be able to absorb 10,000 hours of display time without much degradation of the picture. Does the 960 have a shorter-than-normal shelf-life, such that getting one off the shelf for 40% off with say 1,000 hours running time is a bad move? I wouldn't buy a front projector for exactly the reason you stated, but I tend to believe that CRTs are a little more durable.

I have thought of these things and was hoping for a more specific answer. Can these televisions not take that kind of abuse? In my experience, a well-designed CRT should be able to absorb 10,000 hours of display time without much degradation of the picture. Does the 960 have a shorter-than-normal shelf-life, such that getting one off the shelf for 40% off with say 1,000 hours running time is a bad move? I wouldn't buy a front projector for exactly the reason you stated, but I tend to believe that CRTs are a little more durable.

I personally wouldn't, but I tend to lean toward new items across the board (e.g., cars). Is it worth the premium? I think different people have different answers. But... back to the question at hand:
*- The set most likely been exposed to more than 1000 hours of running time in the sense that units ship with "Vivid" mode turned on. This combined with "amped" setings for brigtness, etc. may have aged the set beyond what it normally would see in 1000 hours, in a home.
*- Physical wear and tear has probably been bad as well. Think of the endless parade of people on Saturdays... pushing buttons, opening the control panel cover, etc. etc.
*- Do you think the night cleaning crew has been using approved materials for the screen? More likely someone running through with industrial brand Windex and a rag, no?
*- You may find that your estimate of 40% savings is a little high. There are some great deals out there right now... just make sure to buy from an authorized dealer.

In the end you have to decide if the savings is worth the potential risk. Could be a great deal... could be a few extra headaches. Whatever you decide, good luck. :)

What's the consensus on purchasing a XBR960 display model? I know of one for around $1300 OTD that's been a floor model with about ~ 6 months display time... Jan 2005 build date. I did look at the set and convergence, color purity, geometry all seemed pretty good... not perfect but I wasn't sure exactly how "perfect" I should expect it to be. Worth the while or not?

I really want to pick up one of these sets in the next month or less....

I personally would not buy a floor model. There's too many unanswered questions, and you'll never know what the TV has already been through. Why is the store selling the TV at such a low price? If you do decide to buy it, I would ask as many questions as you can possibly think of, just for peace of mind, if nothing else. But then again, there may be almost nothing wrong with the TV, and you could be staring a great bargain in the face, so its a tough call. I see it as quite a gamble, though.

I personally would not buy a floor model. There's too many unanswered questions, and you'll never know what the TV has already been through. Why is the store selling the TV at such a low price? If you do decide to buy it, I would ask as many questions as you can possibly think of, just for peace of mind, if nothing else. But then again, there may be almost nothing wrong with the TV, and you could be staring a great bargain in the face, so its a tough call. I see it as quite a gamble, though.

I was hesitant, because I also like to have brand new items, but I was able to get a floor model from a circuit city in DE with a 5 year protection plan for an out of pocket cost of about $1340 to me.

Everything seems ok so far, I have a stand being delivered today. This thing is heavy my father came up and we were carrying it in and he had to stop and I kinda dropped it a bit (maybe from a foot, not real hard and I went down with it). It just kinda bumped on the soft ground outside a bit, seems ok.

I live in PA and they had a floor model at a store closer to me and it was $100 less, but I was told circuit city price their open box items based on the condition of the item and after tax it would have only been like $20 less.

I'm not sure I made the right decision versus buying it from sony or cruthfield for $1900, but time will tell. The tv looked GREAT in the store before I took it home. After I get it set on the stand today Ill begin to try to set it up properly.

It didnt come with the original remote, but I was able to order one for about $35 shipped at an online store.

What's the consensus on purchasing a XBR960 display model? I know of one for around $1300 OTD that's been a floor model with about ~ 6 months display time... Jan 2005 build date. I did look at the set and convergence, color purity, geometry all seemed pretty good... not perfect but I wasn't sure exactly how "perfect" I should expect it to be. Worth the while or not?

I really want to pick up one of these sets in the next month or less....

Have to agree with the others who recommend AGAINST purchasing a floor model, for all the reasons stated. The contrast, brightness and color settings were probably all too high and being on consistantly for at least eleven hours a day would a\make the screen apt to burn-in.

I was hesitant, because I also like to have brand new items, but I was able to get a floor model from a circuit city in DE with a 5 year protection plan for an out of pocket cost of about $1340 to me.

Everything seems ok so far, I have a stand being delivered today. This thing is heavy my father came up and we were carrying it in and he had to stop and I kinda dropped it a bit (maybe from a foot, not real hard and I went down with it). It just kinda bumped on the soft ground outside a bit, seems ok.

Sounds like the TV wrestled you down to the ground. :) Maybe you'll luck out and the TV will work just fine. But I'm sure it can't handle too many straight drops down to the ground, though. :)

Read most of thread about the "N" now has a new anti-glare coating applied to the tube face where last years PLAIN had a anti glare layer STUCK on the tube face. I am about to purchase this bad boy and would save $100.00 if I got last years anti glare layer set. Can anyone give an opinion on Which to buy? Did the old set suffer brightness because of this glare layer? Sony obviously thought it wise to change. Is it worth the extra $100 to get the "N" model? Any input is appreciated!!

I have not seen this in person, but I have read that dust gets between the layers and can not be removed...

When was the last 960 made vs when did 960N begin? Mine was made in Sept 05 but my 960 has later serial # than some with posted 960N versions. Interested because of the coating vs layer anti glare thing.

Hi everyone I would still like to know what settings you guys use. Also I found the SONY Service Codes for this TV which was posted back a little while and I changed the four settings ryb, rgyb or w/e they were to make it less red tinted from the default to what the codes recomended and then I saved it and exited and when I went to video 5 which my xbox 360 is hooked up to it has a white line down the left side of the screen where 4:3 pictures whould end! WTF? Please help me because when I saw this I was in shock, my brand new TV was perfect and I changed something that many people on this site recomended and now I have a bright white line there! I changed the settings back but the line is still there. On page 99 of this thread another person has the same problem please help us. The line is only visible when in video 5 or when watching tv in 4:3 please if anyone knows anything about a fix reply. Also does tweaking settings in the service menu void the warrantee?

I was told I should post this here, so here goes my problem:

I just got this TV lastnight and need some help with a problem. I found that I was not seeing all the horizontal HDTV picture (1080i) that was being broadcasted from my cablebox (HDMI), but found that I was able to fix that by working with MID1 - MDHP, MID1 - MDHS, and MID1 - MDVS.

Now I find that what looks good on 1080i, looks bad on 480i or 480p (screen is too small for the screen, leaves some black on left side of screen), if I work with HSIZ or HPOS it messes with the nice 1080i look. I was able to tell my cablebox to not display in these modes, so that resolved that issue, but my DVD player displays in 480p. My DVD play is in Video 6 and my cable is in video 7 (HDMI). Is there anyway I can fix video 6 (480p) and not effect video 7 (1080i)???

Also I'm noticeing lots of noise on the screen. If I turn off my DVD player and am looking at the black screen that the TV generates, it has "snow" in it. Shouldn't this be just a striaght black screen? I was noticing what I thought was a grainy picture on all inputs, but I'm now seeing it's some sort of interference.

Anyone see this before? I didn't have anything hooked to either coax on the back of the TV and was getting real snow on video 1, I just hooked cable to it to take that "real snow" away, but that doesn't seem to have effected the over all background snow issue.

Please help!

Sounds like the TV wrestled you down to the ground. :) Maybe you'll luck out and the TV will work just fine. But I'm sure it can't handle too many straight drops down to the ground, though. :)

It barely just bumped, its just fine. All the weight was shifted to me and I only weigh like 140 lbs and coudlnt hold it all.

Does anyone else has the SU-34XBR3 stand. It looks great on it!

I ordered my Avia disc on Amazon and it finally arrived a few days ago...I was so excited because now I was going to get "the best picture" without an ISF calibration....I sat down and carefully followed all the instructions and went through most of the test patterns...the result....the numbers on the various video adjustments on my TV ended up almost IDENTICAL to what has been posted here so many times by most of you guys for getting the best picture.... in conclusion...I am just a basic TV watcher who got caught up in the hype of achieving the perfect PQ.... read these posts carefully and follow the suggested video settings of our fellow posters and you don't need to spend the money on the Avia disc....

I meant to add that the PQ is pretty good and seems to get better with each day as the set gets more use....

I ordered my Avia disc on Amazon and it finally arrived a few days ago...I was so excited because now I was going to get "the best picture" without an ISF calibration....I sat down and carefully followed all the instructions and went through most of the test patterns...the result....the numbers on the various video adjustments on my TV ended up almost IDENTICAL to what has been posted here so many times by most of you guys for getting the best picture.... in conclusion...I am just a basic TV watcher who got caught up in the hype of achieving the perfect PQ.... read these posts carefully and follow the suggested video settings of our fellow posters and you don't need to spend the money on the Avia disc....


That's all good and fine, but unless you are a whiz with the service menu yourself, you still would do well to get an ISF calibration at some point.

That's all good and fine, but unless you are a whiz with the service menu yourself, you still would do well to get an ISF calibration at some point.

agreed... and someday I hope to be able to have one done... I guess my point was that at my level of knowledge and TV watching.... I did not find the Avia disc any more helpful than what I have read here....

agreed... and someday I hope to be able to have one done... I guess my point was that at my level of knowledge and TV watching.... I did not find the Avia disc any more helpful than what I have read here....

Hats off to the crew here at that rate. :)

How do I request a calibration? Do I simply call the Sony Hotline at 1-800-222-7669? Can anyone recommend a good technician in the Atlanta (Peachtree City) area?

I tried connecting my XBR960 to my computer via DVI-HDMI. My video card is a NVidia Quadro FX1400. The video card detected that it was connected to a Sony HDTV, however I could not get a full screen picture on the XBR960 - my computer display was chopped off both top/bottom and left/right. I played around with various display resolution settings, and dug around in the advanced menu on the video card. However, nothing seemed to work.

Are there recommended computer display settings when connecting to the XBR960? (e.g., 1920x1080, or 1280x1024).

How can I adjust vertical and horizontal scan so that the entire computer display shows on the XBR960?

Any other tips/adjustments/recommendations? Are there other threads to check on this forum?

Thanks!

How do I request a calibration? Do I simply call the Sony Hotline at 1-800-222-7669? Can anyone recommend a good technician in the Atlanta (Peachtree City) area?

Go to the isf webpage and get a list of calibrators in your area. Then go to the Local HDTV forum for your area on AVS and ask for recommendations.

Had my set ISF calibrated yesterday, and while I have only had a few hours of critical viewing, I am generally pleased. I was apprehensive about having this service done for three reasons:
1. Picture looked awesome already (To my eyes anyway).
2. The price seemed a bit steep.
3. I was worried that I would not be able to "see" a significant difference, as I am far from the most critical viewer on this board.

IMHO, all three concerns were unfounded. The process is a long one (4-6 labor hours) and the equipment they use (aside from looking cool) is very complex... and likely expensive. From those points alone the cost issue has to go out the window. Regarding image improvement... it is beyond significant and even a casual viewer can appreciate. Clarity and color accuracy have gotten better than I thought they could be. Blacks and shadow detail (one of my primary set selection drivers) were nowhere near where they are now.

Throughout the process, I learned about proper measurements and how far the set was off (you will get data tables and charts after the fact). In the end these are just numbers to me, but the end result is clear... a stunning picture improvement. I believe major adjustments were made to the color decoder and convergence had to be adjusted significantly as well. At points I would lose him, as he was able to swing through service and user menu adjustmens (occasionally simultaneously!) ala Jim Carey in Cable Guy :p . Seriously though, the care these guys take (e.g., moving from 1 foot away from the screen, head scanning every inch of the screen... back to the equipment and then back to the recliner) is really impressive. You can tell during calibration and conversation that these guys are passionate about what they do.

I have only one disapontment and one point of interest after the process:
*- My disapointment is that the geometry is still not flawless. I want to point out that the issue was minascule before calibration, and and is even less noticable now. This is only noticable when looking at menu item. I only point this out, for one reason. My guy was clear that he only adjusts geometry via the service menu. He did not adjust magnets as many other calibrators do. I thought others might appreciate this, as they can make experience in this area, a sticking point during calibrator selection.
*- My point of interest is one area of the calibration that I disagreed with the calibrator. After the calibration my "streaking" issue had retruned on DVD. This led to a short discussion of the issue history and the settings solution (DVD Player Progressive = off, Sharpness = 0, DRC Palette = R73/C83) which addressed the issue for me. After demonstrating this on scene 26 of the Empire Strikes Back, he agreed and we changed those settings back.

I apologize for the long post, but thought there might be others on the fence out there. Bottom line is that I am very impressed with the PQ improvement and feel the "reality" of images has been greatly enhanced.

How do I request a calibration? Do I simply call the Sony Hotline at 1-800-222-7669? Can anyone recommend a good technician in the Atlanta (Peachtree City) area?

You can call Sony to have a tech dispatched to address any issues. If you are looking for an ISF calibration, search here: http://www.imagingscience.com/isf-trained.cfm

Had my set ISF calibrated yesterday, and while I have only had a few hours of critical viewing, I am generally pleased.

Thanks for the quick (and detailed!) response! I really appreciate that you took the time to explain the process and outcomes. At present, I'm investigating technicians in my area.

The consensus of this board seem to argue against buying a floor model. I have an opportunity to buy a floor model only two months out of the box for $998. Should I go for it?

The consensus of this board seem to argue against buying a floor model. I have an opportunity to buy a floor model only two months out of the box for $998. Should I go for it?

I would (with an extended warranty). Great price. Grab it (or I will).

How much should one pay for an extended warranty? Can you buy one directly from Sony?

There is an approx. $350 difference between the KD-34XS955 and the KD-XBR960N. Can anyone help me understand what I'd be getting for the additional $? I have a projector system for movie watching so this purchase will replace our old 27" Trinitron that we use for our typical day-to-day cable TV viewing. Thanks.

There is an approx. $350 difference between the KD-34XS955 and the KD-XBR960N. Can anyone help me understand what I'd be getting for the additional $? I have a projector system for movie watching so this purchase will replace our old 27" Trinitron that we use for our typical day-to-day cable TV viewing. Thanks.

I-link, twin tuner Picture and picture, a SLIGHTLY different glare screen (whatever you want to call it.) and the DRC settings which, after an ISF Calibration, are things you will never bother with anyways.

Even before an ISF calibration, I found very little use for the DRC's and I think most others feel the same way.

The PIP is something I adore, so that alone was worth it to me. ;)

Outside of that, if thsoe things don't matter to you, get the XS. It's the same exact TV fundamentally.

Do a search of this forum for "XBR960 vs. XS955" or some variant thereof, and you'll see several threads on this subject.

There is an approx. $350 difference between the KD-34XS955 and the KD-XBR960N. Can anyone help me understand what I'd be getting for the additional $? I have a projector system for movie watching so this purchase will replace our old 27" Trinitron that we use for our typical day-to-day cable TV viewing. Thanks.
I don't believe the 955 has individual settings for each input, like the 960 does. Adjustments for DVDs can be different than those for HD due to the output characteristcs of individual players. Same goes for VHS.

I don't believe the 955 has individual settings for each input, like the 960 does. Adjustments for DVDs can be different than those for HD due to the output characteristcs of individual players. Same goes for VHS.

the XS955s have memory mode, so put that out of your mind

Can anyone help me understand what I'd be getting for the additional $?

There are also significant differences in the warranties between the XBR960 and XS955, if that is important to you.

XBR960: 2 Year Parts and Labor (2 Years Parts on the Picture Tube)

XS955: 1 Year Parts, 90 Days Labor (2 Years Parts on the Picture Tube)

cheers,
Dave

There are also significant differences in the warranties between the XBR960 and XS955, if that is important to you.

XBR960: 2 Year Parts and Labor (2 Years Parts on the Picture Tube)

XS955: 1 Year Parts, 90 Days Labor (2 Years Parts on the Picture Tube)

cheers,
Dave


It's a pity that Sony didn't view the XBR like their ES products: a 5 year warranty out of the box. That would be impressive.

Q you know what they want you to do: buy the extended warranty!

the XS955s have memory mode, so put that out of your mind


I stand corrected

Hello all and Happy New Year,

I am on my 4th 34xs955 (sorry for being an interloper, ther is no "Official" thread for my kind. :( ) from a local store (Nebraska Furnature Mart). There always is one problem or another with the set. The first one had patchy convergence problems and edge ghosting, the second had the same patchy convergence and a sketchy tuner, the third had the same convergence issue and some major "mosquito effect", macroblocking and edge ghosting.
The thing I am most scrutinizing about is the aperture grill on all of the sets. There always are areas of bending/warping on the edges and corners that correspond to the areas of convergence problems. I also question why, no matter what the source material (HD cable, HD OTA, DVD via component, XBOX 360 via component) some of the sets show that macroblocking/"mosquito effect" and edge ghosting. Is this normal? Am I expecting too much from this set? Everyone else seems quite tickled with theirs....why can't I be!!! :confused: (WHAA, WHAA, WHAA!)
At this point, I'm wondering if they happen to be exchanging my set with someone elses return. The one I received today has streaks on the screen where someone attempted to clean it and left too much cleaner behind, a chip off the right side foot and a scrape along the top edge of the input cut-out. They don't come from the factory like that, do they ?
Should I put it into Sony's hands from here on out before my 90 days expires? Anyone have any experience with Sony and their interest in making things right?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone I would still like to know what settings you guys use. Also I found the SONY Service Codes for this TV which was posted back a little while and I changed the four settings ryb, rgyb or w/e they were to make it less red tinted from the default to what the codes recomended and then I saved it and exited and when I went to video 5 which my xbox 360 is hooked up to it has a white line down the left side of the screen where 4:3 pictures whould end! WTF? Please help me because when I saw this I was in shock, my brand new TV was perfect and I changed something that many people on this site recomended and now I have a bright white line there! I changed the settings back but the line is still there. On page 99 of this thread another person has the same problem please help us. The line is only visible when in video 5 or when watching tv in 4:3 please if anyone knows anything about a fix reply. Also does tweaking settings in the service menu void the warrantee?
I would really appreiciate a response.

Hey guys one quick question, I have the 34xbr910, is the picture quality better with the xbr960? Do you think I should upgrade to the xbr960 from the 910.

Hi everyone I would still like to know what settings you guys use. Also I found the SONY Service Codes for this TV which was posted back a little while and I changed the four settings ryb, rgyb or w/e they were to make it less red tinted from the default to what the codes recomended and then I saved it and exited and when I went to video 5 which my xbox 360 is hooked up to it has a white line down the left side of the screen where 4:3 pictures whould end! WTF? Please help me because when I saw this I was in shock, my brand new TV was perfect and I changed something that many people on this site recomended and now I have a bright white line there! I changed the settings back but the line is still there. On page 99 of this thread another person has the same problem please help us. The line is only visible when in video 5 or when watching tv in 4:3 please if anyone knows anything about a fix reply. Also does tweaking settings in the service menu void the warrantee?
I would really appreiciate a response.

Reposted without permission. :D

I also used "vivid" for a while, sharply decreasing the manufacturer's settings, but after reading so many posts I went into "Pro" and after making the proper adjustments had an even more beautiful picture.

Just know I've found that settings differ between HD, DVD, Digital Cable and VHS. All who have posted their settings are close, however, these are mine for each of those four inputs.

THE first number is for Digital Cable, the second for VHS, the third for DVD (used a THX optomizer) and the fourth for DVI.

Mode: Pro on all
Picture: 37, 33, 30, 33
Brightness: 22, 28, 31, 21
Color: 26, 27, 35, 34
Hue: All R-5
Sharpness: 28, 26, 33, 35
Color Temp: Neutral on all
Clear Edge: Medium, low, high, high
DRC Mode: Interlacd, Cinemotion, Cinemotion
Color Axix: Monitor on all
DRC Pallete: r55/c61, r73/c83, r87/c85

As everyone else has stated, the only settings you should settle into are the ones that you like best. As you have read, many find better picture quality with the clear edge off while I incorporate it for mine. It is all subjective.

Hope you can use the above as starting points. Please let us know what you came up with.

It would be great if we were able to compile stats on all the settings submitted to get a consensus of what the "average" setting is on this thread.

Take care,
Joe

Hey guys one quick question, I have the 34xbr910, is the picture quality better with the xbr960? Do you think I should upgrade to the xbr960 from the 910.
For what it's worth to you, I don't own one yet, but a highly respected reviewer for "The Perfect Vision"(Randy Tomlinson), who used to own a 910 and has professionally calibrated scores of both models, said the cheaper 960 was even better than the 910. Why? He said the 960 had better geometry, a more accurate factory-calibrated grayscale and a far more accurate color decoder. Not to mention, the 960 has more features, like the built-in OTA/Digital Cable tuner.